A 49‑year‑old travel agent from Mumbai—Zakir Khan of Airoli—was arrested by IGI Airport police in Ahmedabad. He is accused of arranging forged passports and facilitating illegal entry into the U.S. via Germany and Mexico for an Indian national, Kinjalben Naranbhai Patel. The case stems from a 2019 incident where Patel used a forged passport to bypass immigration checks, was deported, and detained in the U.S. for over two years .

Zakir Khan was arrested based on intelligence linking him to the 2019 scheme, after earlier arrests of co‑conspirators Hemang Chanderkant Modi and Hitesh (aka Bobby) in 2024

Operation method: In 2019, Patel used a passport under another person’s name, which was handed over at Chennai airport by a co‑accused posing as her father. She then traveled via Mexico before entering the U.S. illegally

Fees: During interrogation, Khan admitted to charging roughly ₹2 lakh per case and working closely with Modi and Bobby to arrange similar illegal travel routes

sources