New Delhi:
A 36-year-old man claiming to be a US citizen has been arrested by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in the Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh while trying to cross over to Nepal without valid travel documents. The man identified himself as Jordan Brown and claimed to be a resident of California in the United States, according to authorities.
Brown was arrested on Saturday during a routine patrol near border pillar number 516 in the Mainihwa area under Sonauli police station limits when the 22nd Battalion of the SSB intercepted him and signaled to stop at the border.
The accused allegedly tried to flee the spot but was apprehended by Indian border forces. He did not possess any valid travel or identity-related documents when he was arrested, said Siddharth, the additional superintendent of police (Maharajganj).
During interrogation, the police learned that Brown had allegedly travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa, where he lost his passport. He also reportedly told police that he was a former US Navy officer.
अमेरिकी नागरिक Jordan Brown को भारत-नेपाल सीमा पर बिना वैध Travel Documents के नेपाल में घुसने की कोशिश करते हुए गिरफ्तार किया गया। उसने दावा किया कि वह U.S. Navy और Special Forces में काम कर चुका है।पहले भी भारत-म्यांमार सीमा से सटे इलाकों में कई विदेशी नागरिकों को पकड़ा गया है pic.twitter.com/2z91iXoJHY
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“He subsequently reached Sri Lanka via a sea route and arrived in India from there by sea on 2 November, 2025. Since then, he had been residing in Goa,” the additional SP said.
This means he had spent nearly seven months in India without carrying his passport.
The official said Brown traveled from Goa to Bengaluru and from there to the Sonauli border, intending to enter Nepal.
“He was attempting to enter Nepal when he was apprehended without any valid travel documents or proof of identity,” the officer added.
During a search, Rs 31,460 in cash and two mobile phones were recovered from Brown’s possession, but he was unable to produce a passport, visa, or any other valid travel documents. He was questioned by the SSB and other security agencies before being handed over to the Uttar Pradesh police in Sonauli for further legal action, said SSB Assistant Commandant Priya Yadav.
The police are verifying his claims, and a case has been registered against him at the Sonauli Police Station under Sections 21/23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for entering India without valid documents, the official said.
In Other News
Meanwhile, in a separate case, five Ukrainians and one US national, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged involvement in providing terrorist and combat training to ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, were produced before the Patiala House Court on July 3.
The accused are alleged to have entered India on tourist visas before allegedly travelling through Mizoram into Myanmar, where they came into contact with ethnic armed groups operating against the Myanmar military junta.
The NIA alleged that the accused provided training and support relating to drone warfare and other military technologies to such groups, raising concerns affecting India’s national security. The accused persons are presently in judicial custody, and the investigation remains ongoing.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
