Pakistani national in Bengaluru detention centre stages hunger strike demanding deportation: Report

Mohammad Fahad, who spent 17 years in prison before being acquitted, began his protest on December 4 in Bengaluru.

A Pakistani national, who has been awaiting deportation for over a year, recently staged a week-long hunger strike at the foreigners’ detention centre in Nelamangala, Bengaluru, The Hindu reported.

Currently held in isolation, Fahad is permitted limited use of a mobile phone but denied visitors. (Representational Image) (Pexels)

Mohammad Fahad, who spent 17 years in prison before being acquitted, began his protest on December 4, demanding authorities expedite his return to Pakistan.

According to the report, Fahad’s ordeal began in 2006 when he traveled to India from Pakistan to reconnect with his paternal relatives in Kasaragod, Kerala. His father, originally from India, had moved to Pakistan in the 1970s and married a Pakistani woman. During Fahad’s visit, he chose to stay back after falling in love with a local woman. However, in 2007, his stay turned controversial when he was arrested in Mysuru for attempting to forge identity documents to claim Indian citizenship, the report added.

After serving an eight-year sentence for document forgery, Fahad faced fresh charges in 2012 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act over allegations of a terror conspiracy. He was accused of radicalising individuals while in jail, but was acquitted of all charges, including terror-related cases. On September 25, 2024, the Karnataka High Court ordered his deportation to Pakistan following his release.

Despite the court’s ruling, Fahad remains in limbo due to bureaucratic delays, the report further added. While officials from the Pakistan High Commission confirmed they had cleared his citizenship in 2011 and were coordinating with India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), an FRRO official insisted that deportation processes are underway. Fahad’s deteriorating health forced authorities to intervene and end his hunger strike on December 9.

Currently held in isolation, Fahad is permitted limited use of a mobile phone but denied visitors.

Chargesheet against 17 Pakistan nationals

Seventeen Pakistan nationals, arrested by the Bengaluru Rural police for illegally living in Karnataka under Hindu names, are now facing charges of forgery, cheating, and passport law violations.

The case first came to light on September 29, when the Jigani police arrested Rashid Ali Siddiqui, his wife Ayesha, and her parents Hanif Mohammed and Rubina. The family had been living in India since 2014 and claimed to be members of Mehdi Foundation International (MFI), a group promoting the teachings of Pakistani spiritual leader Gohar Shahi. They alleged religious persecution in Pakistan forced them to seek refuge in India.