Police suspect African woman in Indore cocaine case holding fake passport, student visa

Indore, Nov 21 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh police suspect that the passport and student visa of an African woman, who was arrested with cocaine in Indore, are fake, a senior official said on Friday.

The woman was arrested by the Narcotics wing of the state police on November 18 in the city's Residency area and was identified as Linda (25) based on the passport found on her, he said.

The official said the woman had come to Indore by bus from Mumbai and was found to be carrying approximately 31 grams of cocaine.

She had a passport of the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire (formerly known as Ivory Coast). During police interrogation, the accused claimed to have arrived in India this year on a student visa and that she was living in Nalasopara in Maharashtra, on Mumbai’s outskirts.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Maheshchand Jain of the Narcotics wing told PTI, “Based on some clues found during the investigation, we suspect that the African woman’s passport and student visa are fake.” The official said her passport and student visa are being verified through the Foreigners Registration Office, and appropriate legal action will be taken if any irregularities are found.

Jain said a separate investigation is underway in connection with the FIR registered against the woman under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. She is currently under judicial custody, he said.

Another official said she did not cooperate much with the police during her interrogation. “The date of birth that this woman told us during the interrogation is different from the one on the passport found with her,” he said.

As per the law, foreign students studying in India are required to register themselves with the Foreigners Registration Office or Foreigners Regional Registration Office. PTI HWP MAS NR