Five-Year Sentence for Kashmiri Man in Odisha for Impersonation Scheme

Sayed Ishaan Bukhari, a Kashmiri man, has been sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment by a court in Chandikhole, Odisha. He was arrested in December 2023 on charges of impersonation, cheating, forgery, and links to anti-national elements. The court also issued a fine. The 37-year-old Bukhari, a resident of Handwara in Kupwara, was found guilty after the prosecution presented 18 witnesses and 130 documents. The charges against him fell under several sections of the IPC and the IT Act, 2000. The arrest was carried out by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch in Jajpur. Bukhari was accused of falsely portraying himself as a PMO official, a neuro-specialist doctor, and an associate of high-ranking NIA officials. The investigation led to the seizure of forged documents, including fake medical degrees. Additionally, numerous ID cards, ATM cards, and blank cheques were recovered. The STF’s findings indicated that Bukhari was connected to suspicious individuals in Kerala and Pakistan, and he was also wanted in Kashmir for similar offenses.