Bhubaneswar: The Chandikhole JMFC Court in Jajpur on Thursday sentenced a Kashmiri youth to five years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with a fine for charges including impersonation, cheating, forgery, and links with anti-national elements.
The convicted has been identified as 37-year-old Sayed Ishaan Bukhari, also known as Dr. Ishaan Bukhari, hails from Kupwara in Jammu & Kashmir.
According to an official press release, the Special Task Force (STF), in coordination with local police, arrested Bukhari on December 15, 2023, during a raid in Neulpur, Dharmshala, Jajpur. The arrest followed allegations of forgery, impersonation, and anti-national activities.
The investigation uncovered numerous forged documents, including fake medical degree certificates purportedly issued by reputed institutions such as Cornell University (USA), Canadian Health Services Institute, and Christian Medical College, Vellore. Authorities also seized blank signed affidavits, bonds, identity cards, ATM cards, blank cheques, Aadhaar cards, visiting cards, and other materials used in the criminal activities.
Following the investigation, a charge sheet was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120(B), along with sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
During the trial, the prosecution presented 18 witnesses and submitted 130 documents as evidence. The case was investigated by STF Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Rashmi Ranjan Patanaik, with prosecution led by Jagannath Mallick.
