The Hindu : Police probing foreigner's antecedents

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Police probing foreigner's antecedents

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM May 25. The police are probing the antecedents of a 46-year-old South African national, Mahmood Salim Aboobacker, who was arrested from the beach resort of Varkala for staying in the country without a valid passport and visa for three years.

A police team lead by the Circle Inspector (Varkala), K. E. Baiju, had arrested Aboobacker from Varkala on Thursday, following complaints from locals.

The police have found that Aboobacker was receiving $ 200 to 300 every month through a leading forex firm while staying at Varkala. He was also found to be in possession of maps of routes from Pakistan, Nepal and Rajkot.

The sleuths of the Intelligence Bureau and the Special Branch, who have questioned Aboobacker, are trying to trace the source of his funds.

Aboobacker, who arrived in 1999 in the country, stayed in Mumbai for one month before moving on to Goa. He has reportedly stayed in Goa for three years before reaching Varkala in September 2002.

He had furnished South African, South Asia and British nationalities in the mandatory Form C submitted in the three resorts he had stayed. The South African passport recovered from him by the police had expired way back in 1999.

According to police, Aboobacker was taking classes in Personality Development, Linguistics and Stress Management in the three aided schools in Varkala without taking any renumeration.

Several newspaper clippings regarding South Africa and Pakistan were also recovered from the accused. Aboobaker speaks fluent Hindi and English as well as a few words in Malayalam.

According to police, the statements given by him were contradictory. He has been produced in court and remanded to 15 days custody in the Attingal Sub Jail.

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