Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch’s probe into the fake Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) scientist case has widened, exposing a sophisticated document forgery racket spanning Mumbai, Delhi, and Jharkhand. The main accused, Akhtar Hussain Qutubuddin Ahmed alias Alexander Palmer (60) arrested from Versova’s Yari Road earlier this mont has now been linked to multiple fake identity operations involving his brother and other associates.

According to police sources, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has arrested Akhtar’s brother, Adil Husaini alias Syed Adil Hussain alias Mohammad Adil Husaini alias Naseemuddin, from the Seemapuri area of Delhi. Adil was found in possession of multiple fake passports and other forged documents. The Delhi Police confirmed that the arrest followed intelligence inputs shared by the Mumbai Crime Branch.

Investigations have revealed that Adil was deeply involved in creating fake passports and identity cards using counterfeit Aadhaar cards and supporting documents. One original and two forged passports were recovered from him. Preliminary findings indicate that Adil not only created these forgeries but also used them for international travel, including to Pakistan and other countries, raising suspicions of possible links with foreign atomic agencies.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) has arrested another accused, Monazir Khan (34), from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. He allegedly supplied forged documents including fake BARC ID cards, Aadhaar, and educational certificates to Akhtar Hussain. When produced before the court for the second time, Monazir was remanded to police custody until November 1, while Akhtar has been sent to judicial custody.

During interrogation, Akhtar had falsely claimed that his brother Adil was dead. His subsequent arrest in Delhi, however, disproved this.

Investigators suspect that Monazir Khan prepared Adil’s fake passport in 2016 using documents linked to an address in Jamshedpur that Akhtar had sold years earlier. The passport verification process reportedly failed to detect the discrepancy a lapse now under review by Jharkhand Police and passport authorities.

Further investigations have shown that Akhtar used at least three fake passports under the name Alexander Palmer, along with bogus PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, driving licences, and mark sheets from the Bihar Intermediate Education Board and Biju Patnaik University of Technology (Odisha). Authorities also recovered documents related to nuclear technology and maps suspected to contain sensitive data.

Forensic analysis of Akhtar’s phone revealed his use of advanced tools such as Super VPN Pro to mask his location while traveling under false identities across India and abroad since 2015.

A case has been registered at Versova Police Station under Sections 319(2), 336(2), 337, 338, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Sections 61(2) and 12(1)(b) of the Passport Act. Both Mumbai and Delhi Police are coordinating with Jharkhand authorities to determine how these forged documents passed scrutiny and whether official collusion was involved.

Officials believe the case points to a high-level forgery network operating under the guise of scientific and government identities, raising concerns of potential national security breaches linked to the fake BARC credentials.

Mumbai: A 22-year-old man, identified as Varun Prasad Kamble, a resident of Ramabai Colony, Ghatkopar (East), died in a road accident at Tilak Nagar, Chembur, early Tuesday morning. His friend, Abhijeet Mangesh Sapkal, 20, sustained multiple injuries in the crash.

According to the statement given by the injured Sapkal to the Tilak Nagar police, both he and Kamble were unemployed at the time of the incident. Sapkal had previously worked at Garden Hotel in Bandra-Kurla Complex, while Kamble was employed with a diamond company in Andheri before taking a month-long leave.

According to the FIR, on the evening of October 27, around 7 to 8 p.m., the duo borrowed their friend Rahul Binde’s NTorq scooter (MH-03-DH-4705) and went drinking at Nokia Bar on P.L. Lokhande Marg, Chembur. Kamble was allegedly already intoxicated when he arrived. They were later joined by three other friends at the bar. The group also visited another establishment, Sridevi Bar, located opposite the first one.

After returning to their neighborhood around 12.30 a.m., the friends chatted for a while before dispersing. Kamble and Sapkal then decided to ride to Kurla (West) for a late-night snack of bhurji pav. At around 2 a.m. on October 28, the two reached the Kohinoor area in Kurla (West) but couldn’t find any food stalls open.

Kamble then insisted on driving the scooter, to which Sapkal agreed. While returning towards Ramabai Colony, at around 2.30 a.m., Kamble lost control of the vehicle on the LTT Bridge, SCLR Road, Tilak Nagar, and the scooter skidded after hitting a road divider.

Sapkal sustained injuries to his head, hands, shoulders, leg, and nose, while Kamble, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a severe head injury and fell unconscious. Both were rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors declared Kamble brought dead.

The Tilak Nagar police have registered a case based on Sapkal’s complaint. Kamble has been booked posthumously under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, and the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, for rash and negligent driving under the influence of alcohol, leading to his own death and injuries to another person.

In a significant decision safeguarding valuable government land in Mazgaon, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has rejected the proposal to renew the government lease granted to the Jijabhoy Trust, directing officials to refund any payments made incorrectly by the trust or developers. The move effectively prevents potential misuse of prime land worth several crores.

The matter was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Bawankule, attended by MLAs Sachin Ahir and Amol Mitkari, Mumbai City District Collector Anchal Goyal (via video conference), and other senior officials.

The lease pertained to government properties—Land No. 365 (725.76 sq. m.) and Land No. 369 (9,154.10 sq. m.)—previously allotted to the Jijabhoy Trust in Mazgaon. The trust had delayed its lease renewal payment, which was later mistakenly paid by a private firm, Aikya Realty Pvt. Ltd., to the government.

According to an ordinance dated September 24, 2025, the Revenue Department ordered that the incorrect payment be refunded and the lease renewal be temporarily suspended pending further review.

During the meeting, MLA Sachin Ahir urged authorities to bring the properties directly under government control and auction them transparently, warning that certain traders might attempt to encroach on the land under the pretext of the trust’s ownership.

Reiterating the government’s position, Minister Bawankule emphasized that the lease will not be renewed, and any future applications related to the property would only be considered after a comprehensive review by the Revenue Department.