The arrested accused Sayed Ishaan Bukhari (TOI)
The Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch is actively pursuing an in-depth investigation into the case of Sayed Ishaan Bukhari, a Kashmiri fraudster recently apprehended in the Jajpur district of Odisha. The ongoing probe is shedding light on Bukhari’s alleged terror connections, prompting the arrival of an Intelligence Bureau (IB) team in Bhubaneswar on December 19.
Bukhari, who is currently in custody after being remanded by the Odisha STF, is expected to face questioning from the IB team. The STF has uncovered evidence suggesting Bukhari’s involvement in marrying multiple women across the country as part of what is being investigated as the ‘Love Jihad’ conspiracy.
Initial reports indicate that Bukhari, posing as an Army Doctor, a PMO officer, and a close associate of high-ranking NIA officials, married at least six to seven women. One of these marriages, carried out in Lucknow, has prompted the STF to seek collaboration with Lucknow Police for additional information. The STF made the arrest on December 17 in the Jajpur district.
The IB officers are also scrutinizing Bukhari’s suspected links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Despite Bukhari denying any association with terror groups, the STF is actively verifying his background. The accused was brought to Bhubaneswar on December 19 for a 5-day police remand.
Intriguingly, IB and STF officers are examining Bukhari’s relationship with Mufti Tariq Masood, a suspected ISI agent. Bukhari’s phone, seized on December 16, revealed frequent communications with Masood. Additionally, a DVD containing an audio recording of Bukhari conversing with terror suspects in Kerala has been seized by the STF. In the recording, Bukhari discusses recruiting young men for foreign deployments. Four phones and two broken phones confiscated from Bukhari have been sent to a cyber forensic laboratory for analysis.
Despite the accusations and ongoing investigation, one of Bukhari’s wives, Paro Bibi, refutes claims of her husband’s involvement in anti-national activities. The couple, married since 2017 and residing in Jajpur, has a six-year-old daughter. Paro, a teacher in Jajpur, contends that her husband’s arrest has left the villagers shocked.
Earlier raids conducted by the STF at locations associated with Bukhari yielded numerous incriminating materials, including over 100 seized documents. Among these were forged medical degree certificates from reputed institutions like Cornell University (USA), Canadian Health Services Institute, and Christian Medical College Vellore. The seized items also included blank signed documents, affidavits, bonds, identity cards, ATM cards, blank checks, Aadhar cards, visiting cards, and more.
Sayed Ishaan Bukhari, a 37-year-old native of Kupwada district in Jammu and Kashmir, remains under suspicion for his alleged anti-national connections. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to delve into the intricate details of this complex case.
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