Man arrested for obtaining passport under another name

A 30-year-old man who was allegedly trying to leave the country after obtaining passport in a his new name which hadn't been officially changed was arrested in Latur district of Maharashtra Saturday.

Narsing Jairam Bhuyekar was arrested at Udgir by the Anti-Terror Cell of police, an official said Sunday.

He had allegedly obtained passport with the name 'Mohammed Rehan Ibne Adam'.

He had converted to Islam in 2010 and took the new name, but as required under the law, he did not notify the change through a government gazette, the police official said.

To get the passport, he allegedly provided documents such as PAN card and Aadhar card which bore his new name.

As the name on the passport application was not his original name, local police submitted adverse inquiry report, but Bhuyekar still managed to obtain passport through an agent, he said.

A native of Medak district in Telangana, Bhuyekar moved to Udgir a few years ago and embraced Islam, the official said. He later married a Muslim woman.

He allegedly told police that he wanted to visit Saudi Arabia for the Haj pilgrimage.

A case was registered against him under the Passport Act and also for forgery and cheating under the IPC.

"We are investigating why he did not change his name through government gazette and whether he was in touch with any foreign national," the official added.