Delhi busts suspected espionage link; man with foreign nuke contacts caught
New Delhi– Delhi Police arrested a 59-year-old man on Tuesday for running an espionage and fake passport racket with suspected foreign links. The accused, Mohammad Adil Hussaini, allegedly operated under several aliases — Syed Adil Hussain, Nasimuddin, and Syed Adil Hussaini. Police said he travelled to multiple countries, including Pakistan, and maintained contact with foreign nuclear scientists.
Officials suspect Hussaini shared sensitive information abroad. They refused to elaborate on the alleged nuclear scientist link, citing an active investigation.
The Special Cell launched the probe after receiving intelligence inputs about a passport forgery network linked to espionage activity. During a raid, officers recovered one genuine and two fake Indian passports from Hussaini’s possession. They also seized three forged identity cards connected to a sensitive government installation.
Investigators traced the forgery network to Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, where counterfeit IDs and passports were allegedly produced. Police teams have begun operations there to locate other suspects.
During interrogation, Hussaini reportedly admitted to obtaining nuclear-related designs from a Russian scientist. He told investigators that he sold the designs to another scientist in Iran for a large sum. He allegedly used part of the money to buy property in Dubai and spent the rest on luxury items and travel.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the racket had been active for several years. “The accused and his brother Akhtar are involved in obtaining multiple passports using fake papers. Several others are under the scanner,” he said.
In a parallel operation, Mumbai Police detained Akhtar Hussaini, who allegedly managed logistics for the racket. Officers said Akhtar frequently travelled to Gulf countries to arrange documents and contacts. Another associate, who runs a café, was also taken into custody for questioning.
Police sources revealed that the group helped several clients secure fake passports for travel and identity concealment. Investigators are now verifying the number of forged documents issued through their network.
Officials said Hussaini maintained contacts in at least three countries and received frequent remittances through unverified foreign bank accounts. They are now tracking money trails to Dubai and Tehran.
On Tuesday, police produced Hussaini before a Delhi court. The court sent him to seven days’ police custody for further questioning. Investigators will confront him with data recovered from his mobile phone and laptops seized from his South Delhi residence.
Authorities booked him under Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 318 (cheating), 338 (forgery of valuable security), and 340 (using forged documents as genuine) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Police believe Hussaini’s network blended espionage and forgery to serve foreign interests while making money from document fraud. They said more arrests could follow as teams in Delhi, Mumbai, and Jharkhand continue coordinated raids.
The case has raised alarms over cross-border data leaks and forged passport rackets operating under the cover of legitimate business fronts. Delhi Police said the investigation is ongoing and more details will emerge after forensic analysis of the seized material.
