A Pakistani national, who had been illegally staying in Andhra Pradesh for almost 11 years, eking out a livelihood as a painter in Gadivemula village of Kurnool district, was arrested from Secunderabad on December 3. According to reports, he was trying to return to his country along with his wife and five children.
The arrested man has been identified as Shaik Gulzar Khan. Police said that he hails from Kuluwal village in Hadmarala of Punjab province in Pakistan. According to reports, Gulzar was deported from Dubai in January 2008 for not having valid documents. He had then claimed that he was a native of India and was deported here.
Subsequently, after working in Mumbai, he married a woman from Kurnool, Daulath Bee, and moved to Andhra Pradesh. Daulath Bee had a child from her first marriage. Gulzar and Daulath later had four children and had been staying at a rented house in BC Colony of the village.
Without disclosing his original identity, Gulzar managed to get Aadhaar card and voter ID cards for himself and his family.
On November 21, he even managed to get a passport from Regional Passport Office in Vijayawada.
Gulzar was under the scanner of the Counter Intelligence Cell and Special Investigation Team of the Telangana police after he frequently made calls to his relatives in Pakistan. After securing a passport, Gulzar had planned to leave for Pakistan along with his family under the guise of being Kartarpur pilgrims, The Hindu reported.
His plan was foiled after Daulath's brother Naseeb, who realized that his sister and her children were being taken to Pakistan, informed Railway Police in Kurnool. However, as the police failed to take prompt action, he was later arrested on December 3 from Secunderabad, according to Deccan Chronicle.
Gulzar was booked under the Indian Penal Code, Foreigners Act-1946, Indian Passport Act and Section 3 of Passport (Entry into India) Act of Special Investigation Team. His wife and children were handed over to their relatives. Khan was remanded to judicial custody.