Delhi Police arrest Ashma Begum for using forged embassy number plates. Photo: ANI.
Who is Ashma Begum? The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a woman for allegedly using forged foreign embassy number plates on a vehicle, allowing her to move freely across high-security diplomatic zones in the national capital. The arrest comes ahead of Republic Day.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Cell of the Crime Branch intercepted Ashma Begum on January 15 in Vasant Vihar, just as she was about to drive the car. During the search, police recovered another forged embassy number plate from the vehicle.
The accused, Ashma Begum, failed to produce any diplomatic ownership documents and was immediately taken in for detailed questioning.
During interrogation, the woman admitted to using fake embassy-style number plates to avoid police scrutiny and gain unrestricted access to embassies and other sensitive areas in New Delhi. She revealed that she had purchased the Innova car from a foreign embassy in November 2024 but failed to register it in her name, prompting the embassy to file a complaint at Chanakyapuri police station.
Police said she deliberately fabricated plates resembling diplomatic registrations to impersonate an embassy representative and move freely in restricted zones.
Ashma Begum, a resident of Guwahati, Assam, claims to be a graduate and has projected herself as an all-India secretary of a political party. She identified herself as a member of the Republic Party of India (RPI), led by Union Minister Ramdas Athawale.
She further claimed links with various sports bodies and said she had previously worked as a consultant with a foreign embassy. Currently, she is allegedly involved in consultancy for foreign students, particularly African nationals seeking admission to a Meghalaya-based university.
A case has been registered against Ashma Begum under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Police have seized the Innova car, three forged embassy number plates, a mobile phone, and sale documents of the vehicle.
The accused has been remanded to six days of police custody, while investigators are thoroughly examining her digital data and activities.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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