A joint raid by a team of the chief minister’s flying squad and police arrested two Iranian nationals allegedly staying illegally even after the expiry of their visa and passport.
Police said they registered a case under the Foreigners Act, money laundering and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Sector 50 police station. (Representational image)
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Police identified the suspects as Puriya Siraj, 25 and Mohammad Mughani, 24, of Iran. They were allegedly involved in taking commission by transacting money through hawala and were staying on with fake documents in a rented accommodation in Sector 49. Five phones, $514, two gold rings, one earring, seven watches, fake ID proofs and ₹18,730 were recovered from their possession, said police.
Police said they registered a case under the Foreigners Act, money laundering and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Sector 50 police station.
Deputy superintendent of police (crime) Inderjeet Yadav said that they received a tip-off after which a team was formed including the crime unit of Gurugram Police. “We raided an apartment on Friday afternoon. Two Iranian nationals were found staying illegally. The passport and visa of Puriya Siraj and his brother Mohammad Mughani had expired. Both were staying on ₹16,000 per month rent. The landlord had not submitted a C form regarding their stay and had not even got their police verification done,” he said.
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“A driver’s license from Delhi, voter ID card, PAN card, driving license from Iran, Haryana family identity card, passbook and debit card of Karnataka Bank also recovered from his possession. During questioning they revealed that they were involved in hawala transactions,” he said.
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“A driver’s license from Delhi, voter ID card, PAN card, driving license from Iran, Haryana family identity card, passbook and debit card of Karnataka Bank also recovered from his possession. During questioning they revealed that they were involved in hawala transactions,” he said.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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