A Nepali woman was arrested at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after attempting to travel to Oman using a counterfeit Indian passport. The incident unfolded when immigration officers grew suspicious of her passport as her facial features did not match the identity she claimed. Upon further verification, the woman admitted that she was not Indian but a Nepali citizen from Parsa district, Nepal.​

The woman, who identified herself as Kajal, had presented an Indian passport stating her birthplace as Nohra, Himachal Pradesh. However, she revealed during interrogation that her parents had migrated from Nepal to Himachal Pradesh several years ago. Using this background, she managed to procure fraudulent documents including an Aadhaar card, PAN card, and a bona fide certificate with a fake Himachal Pradesh address. These forged documents enabled her to obtain the Indian passport from the Shimla Passport Office.​

Following the discovery, the woman was detained by police and charged with offenses including providing false information to passport authorities, forgery of documents, and attempting illegal international travel. Her apprehension highlights ongoing challenges immigration authorities face with forged documents and underscores the importance of rigorous checks at airports to prevent illegal travel attempts.​

This case is an example of how sophisticated document forgery can exploit immigration systems, married with the individual's attempt to blend identity through partial truth—claiming parental migration to India. It serves as a reminder for travelers and authorities alike about the risks and legal consequences of using forged passports, which can lead to serious criminal charges and travel bans. The Mumbai airport’s vigilance in identifying such deceptive attempts exemplifies the critical role of immigration checkpoints in maintaining security and lawful travel across borders. This incident may also prompt further review of document issuance procedures to curb such fraud in the future.