Indian Immigration authorities stopped him at Indira Gandhi International Airport

Kathmandu July 21

Iranian national Esmaeil Kazem hosseinitaghi, 42, a resident of Iranian capital, Tehran, has been arrested by the Department of Immigration for using fake Israeli passport.

The Iranian national, who wanted to travel to Europe via New Delhi on a fake Israeli passport, was returned to Kathmandu on Thursday from New Delhi, following which he was arrested by DoI officers.

Although the Iranian national could fly out of Tribhuvan International Airport without being suspected of carrying a fake passport, he was stopped by the Indian Immigration authorities at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The Iranian national told DoI that he procured a fake Israeli passport in Istanbul, Turkey, so that he could easily enter Europe without attracting suspicion. He also said that some other Iranian nationals were also planning to procure fake Israeli passports to make their journey to Europe easy.

“It is easier to enter Europe with a Israeli passport. I used to keep a passport in my pocket and show another passport to the airport immigration officials,” the Iranian national told immigration officials. He went to Istanbul from Tehran with his Iranian passport (L38701216), which was issued on October 2, 2016 with the expiry date of October 3, 2021 and he used his fake Israeli passport to travel from Istanbul to Kathmandu. According to DoI official, he had stayed for a week in Kathmandu before flying to the Indian capital.

“The man said that he faced security threat in his home country and therefore wanted to flee to Europe for his safety. He wanted to  settle in Europe with his family,” a DoI official told The Himalayan Times after interrogation.

The Iranian consul general in Kathmandu Naresh Man Shrestha, who is also vice-chair of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, met Iranian national yesterday in the custody. He told the Iranian national that if he admitted his mistake, he would be deported to Iran. Otherwise, he may face three-year prison term in Nepal.

Shrestha told The Himalayan Times, “There is no threat to any citizens of Iran.”

According to DoI official, either he will be deported to his home country or will be prosecuted. Violations of immigration laws or any other prevailing laws of Nepal are grounds for legal action including deportation, penalties and imprisonment as per the nature of the offense.

The Iranian national does not speak English so the DoI took the assistance of Google service to translate his Pharasi statement to English.

Following several war, Iran and Israel are conflicting country.