An investigation has revealed that Akhtar Hussain Qutubuddin Ahmed, a 60-year-old posing as a Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) nuclear scientist named Ali Reza Hoseini and possessing three passports issued in the name of Alexander Palmer, had purchased his identity in 2016 from a Jharkhand-based individual, Munazzil Khan, for as little as Rs 19,000. A tip-off to the police brought an end to the charade more than a week ago, and Mumbai Crime Branch’s Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) subsequently traced Khan through Ahmed’s digital trail and arrested him from Jharkhand on October 25.
Ahmed’s Aadhaar and PAN cards had been created without any supporting documents by Khan, who operated an office named Asia International Human Resource Consultancy in Jamshedpur. According to investigators, the fabricated address details were gleaned from the locality around Jamshedpur’s Grace Bible College — an area with a sizeable Christian population.
The housing society in Versova where Akhtar Hussain Qutubuddin Ahmed resided with his wife and nine-year-old son. Pic/Ashish Raje
Police said Ahmed later used these fake Aadhaar and PAN cards to obtain an Indian passport under the Alexander Palmer alias in 2017. The passport was renewed twice — in 2022 and 2025 — allegedly with Khan’s help. Investigators further revealed that Ahmed used two advanced virtual private networks (VPNs) to mask his location and online activities while creating and transmitting the forged documents.
According to officials, Ahmed was deported from Dubai, UAE, in 2004, where he was initially working, and was arrested upon his return to India after falsely claiming to possess secret documents. Later, the accused used fake passports to travel to Tehran, Iran and Dubai. During Ahmed’s earlier arrest, police had seized classified-looking materials, including 14 maps and alleged nuclear-related data, though officials clarified that the authenticity of the seized items is still being verified.
Khan’s brother, Iliyaz Khan, has been named a wanted accused for allegedly helping Ahmed fabricate fake educational certificates, including those of SSC, HSC, BSc, BE (Mechanical), and MEBSH (Safety). Police sources said Ahmed, originally from Jamshedpur, had sold his ancestral home after his father’s death in 1996 but continued visiting the area — using his familiarity with the locality to procure fake documents with ease. Investigators also found that Ahmed faces a case registered at Meerut’s Kanker Khera police station for allegedly waging war against the Uttar Pradesh government and creating hatred and disaffection.
Brother under scanner
Meanwhile, Ahmed’s brother, Adil Husaini — who had introduced him to Khan — is also under the scanner. Investigators suspect that Adil may have obtained a fake passport through Khan’s network. He has been detained by the Delhi Police, said sources. During questioning, Ahmed had earlier claimed that his brother Adil had died. Ahmed was recently arrested from Yari Road, Versova, after police recovered multiple fake passports in the name of Alexander Palmer, along with bogus PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, driving licences, and Ahmed possessed fake ID cards that he used to introduce himself as a BARC employee, in the name of Ali Raza Hussain.
Documents and phones seized from Ahmed
>> Three passports issued in the name of Alexander Palmer
>> Aadhaar and PAN cards bearing the name Alexander Palmer
>> Driving licence in the name of Alexander Palmer
>> Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai ID card with the name Ali Reza Hoseini and the accused’s photograph
>> Educational certificates from various schools and colleges issued in the name of Alexander Palmer
>> Three mobile phones
We are shocked, say Ahmed’s neighbours
For the past three years, Ahmed had been residing in a 1BHK at Apna Jahan society with his wife and nine-year-old son in Zohra Aghadi Nagar, Yari Road.
Ahmed had claimed to members of his housing society that he was working in Dubai. Society members, shocked by the arrest, told mid-day he had a simple appearance and would always carry a bag on his shoulder and never talk to anyone.
Tayyab Ali, a broker who resides in the same society, said, “We got Ahmed his flat at a rent of R25,200 per month only after police verification and also have a registered agreement. Ahmed told us that he is working in Dubai and he would come home only twice in year.”
He added, “The family paid a deposit of R50,000 before renting the flat. We are all shocked. He seemed to be a simple man, always carrying a bag. We’ve seen him only four or five times in the past three years.”
Another society member said, “His wife drops their kid off at school daily, and many locals know her. We are flabbergasted to learn about his alleged involvement in such activities.”
– Shirish Vaktania
