Visa Fraud: Surat Man Caught Using Fake Identity

Surat Resident Arrested for Forging Documents to Obtain Portuguese Citizenship and Indian Visa

• Arrest and Investigation : A 42-year-old man from Surat was arrested by Gujarat University police on Saturday for submitting forged documents to obtain both Portuguese nationality and an Indian visa. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by an officer at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Ahmedabad.
• Initial Claim of Identity : The accused, initially identified as Ashwin Dhiru, claimed to be a Portuguese citizen. However, further investigation revealed his true identity as Nimesh Dhiru Sorathi, a resident of Surat, Gujarat.
• False Application : On January 8, 2025, the accused submitted an online visa application through the E-FRRO portal, stating he was a Portuguese citizen. As part of his application, he provided a Portuguese passport issued on July 23, 2024, and details of his cancelled Indian passport issued in Mumbai.
• Biometric Verification and Document Scrutiny : Upon reviewing the application, authorities summoned the accused for biometric verification and document inspection on January 31, 2025. During the process, discrepancies in his identity were identified.
• Confession and Admission : Senior officer Mahesh Rasane led the investigation, during which the accused admitted his real identity as Nimesh Dhiru Sorathi. He also confessed to attempting to secure Portuguese citizenship by using his genuine Indian identity.

This case highlights the importance of vigilance in detecting fraudulent visa and citizenship applications, ensuring that identity-related discrepancies are thoroughly examined.