Bhubaneswar: The JFMC court at Chandikhole in Odisha ‘s Jajpur district on Thursday sentenced a Kashmiri man, arrested in December 2023 on charges of impersonation, cheating, forgery and links with anti-national elements, to five years of rigorous imprisonment (RI).
The court also slapped a fine on Sayed Ishaan Bukhari (37) alias Ishaan Bukhari aka Dr Ishaan Bukhari, a native of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 18 witnesses and exhibited 130 relevant documents, leading to his conviction. The charge sheet was submitted under Sections 419/420/465/467/468/471/120(B) IPC and Section 66 C/66 D of IT Act, 2000.
On December 15, 2023, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch arrested the Kashmiri youth in the Neulpur area of Jajpur for allegedly posing as an official in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a neuro-specialist doctor and a close associate of some high-ranking officials of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
During investigation, numerous forged documents like medical degree certificate issued by Cornel University of USA, Canadian Health Services Institute, Christian Medical College, Vellore were seized. Some blank signed documents, affidavits, bonds, numerous ID cards, ATM cards, blank cheques, Aadhaar cards and visiting cards were also recovered during the subsequent searches.
The STF had then mentioned that Bukhari was in touch with suspicious persons in Kerala and some Pakistani nationals. He was also wanted by Kashmir Police in connection with a case of cheating and forgery there and a non-bailable warrant is pending against him.
