New Delhi: A Pakistani national working as a chef in Old Delhi was arrested after entering India illegally through the India-Nepal border and living in the national capital for more than a year without valid travel documents. The case has also raised questions over how he managed to obtain an Aadhaar card despite being a foreign national without legal status.
So a chef from Karachi, Mohammad Adnan, was chilling in Old Delhi, working in a restaurant long after his visa expired.
Sneaked in through Nepal. Just living his best life like nothing happened.
Delhi Police finally nabbed him after Military Intelligence flagged him.
This… pic.twitter.com/ZT1bYV2SmJ
— Mr Tiwaree ™ 🚨 (@MrTiwaree) August 19, 2026
Pakistani national allegedly lived in Old Delhi for over a year
Muhammad Adnan, a resident of Karachi’s Korangi area, had been living in the narrow lanes of Kuchha Chelan in Daryaganj and working as a chef in a local restaurant. According to police, he had managed to blend into the crowded surroundings of Old Delhi while staying in India without a valid passport or visa.
Police are now investigating not only his illegal entry and prolonged stay but also how he managed to procure an Aadhaar card. Investigators are examining whether a wider network was involved in arranging fake or improperly obtained identity documents for foreign nationals.
According to DCP (Crime) Sanjeev Yadav, Adnan allegedly entered India illegally in May last year. Instead of using a recognised international immigration checkpoint, he reportedly crossed through the difficult terrain along the India-Nepal border without a passport or visa before eventually making his way to Delhi. “He illegally entered India last May,” Yadav said, adding that the Pakistani national bypassed formal immigration channels and subsequently settled in rented accommodation in the capital.
Earlier India travel through legal channels
Adnan was reportedly familiar with cross-border travel. In December 2022, he and his wife, Zainab, had made a documented return to India through proper diplomatic and immigration channels.
His subsequent return, however, allegedly followed an entirely different route. Investigators believe that after entering India clandestinely through the Nepal border, he travelled to Delhi and remained there without the documents required for lawful residence. The case has consequently drawn the attention of security agencies, particularly because a foreign national was able to remain in the national capital for such an extended period while working and arranging accommodation.
Military Intelligence tip-off leads to arrest
Adnan’s presence came under the scanner after authorities received information about him. Acting on the tip-off, a Delhi Police team raided his residence and took him into custody on August 15.
The investigation subsequently expanded beyond the Crime Branch. Officials from the Delhi Military Intelligence Unit and the Special Cell joined the verification process to examine his background, movements, contacts and reasons for allegedly returning to India through an unauthorised route. The joint verification exercise reportedly established that Adnan had been residing in Delhi for more than 14 months without valid legal documentation.
Authorities are also examining his identity documents and the circumstances under which he obtained an Aadhaar card. The focus is now on identifying anyone who may have assisted him in securing documents, accommodation or employment.
Following the security verification, authorities recommended that Adnan be deported to Pakistan. He has since been moved to the Sewa Sadan detention centre in Lampur, where he remains under security while the formal deportation process is completed.
The case, however, extends beyond the detention of one individual. Investigators are likely to examine whether others helped facilitate his illegal stay, particularly in relation to documentation, rented accommodation and employment. The Aadhaar angle is especially significant because the investigation could reveal whether the document was obtained through fraudulent means or with assistance from intermediaries. Establishing the source of the document could help authorities determine whether Adnan acted alone or was supported by a larger network.
Security questions around illegal foreign nationals
The case highlights the challenges faced by authorities in tracking foreign nationals who enter India outside recognised immigration channels and subsequently establish themselves in major cities.
Delhi, with its vast population and dense residential and commercial neighbourhoods, can make it difficult to immediately identify individuals living without valid documentation. Employment in informal sectors and rented accommodation can further allow a person to remain under the radar.
For security agencies, the immediate priority in Adnan’s case is therefore not only his deportation but also tracing the network, if any, that enabled him to enter the country, obtain identity documents and remain in Delhi for an extended period. Authorities are expected to continue probing his contacts and movements as part of the investigation before completing the deportation process.
