A shocking case of espionage and identity fraud took place in Mumbai on Monday, where 60-year-old Akhtar Hussaini was arrested for posing as a Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) scientist and allegedly receiving crores in foreign funds for sharing sensitive nuclear data, according to the sources.
Fake Scientist With Multiple Identities
Hussaini, a resident of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, was arrested last month by the Mumbai Police after travelling across the country while impersonating a BARC scientist. Police recovered over 10 maps and purported data related to nuclear weapons from his possession.
Investigators also seized fake passports, Aadhaar and PAN cards, along with a forged BARC identity card. One ID identified him as Ali Raza Hussain, while another listed him as Alexander Palmer.
His brother Adil Hussaini was arrested in Delhi for his alleged involvement in the same racket.
Foreign Funding Since 1995
According to Mumbai Police Crime Branch sources, the Hussaini brothers began receiving foreign funds in 1995. Initially, they were paid in lakhs, but after 2000, the payments reportedly rose to crores, suspected to be in exchange for classified blueprints related to BARC and other nuclear facilities.
Police uncovered a private bank account under Akhtar Hussaini’s name that showed suspicious transactions, and they have sought complete records to trace the money trail. Several other accounts linked to the brothers were also shut down over time.
“We are verifying the old accounts and foreign inflow patterns to determine the exact source of funding,” said a police source.
Investigators are also probing whether the brothers had visited Pakistan and maintained links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Past Espionage Links And Fake Passport Trail
Authorities revealed that Hussaini had a history of deception. In 2004, he was deported from Dubai after falsely claiming to be a “scientist possessing classified documents.”
Despite selling his ancestral home in Jamshedpur in 1996, he continued to procure fake documents using old contacts. His brother Adil later introduced him to Munazzil Khan, a Jharkhand resident who allegedly helped create two fake passports under the names Hussaini Mohammad Adil and Nasimuddin Syed Adil Hussaini.
The addresses on these passports traced back to their long-sold Jamshedpur house, suggesting an elaborate forgery network.
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