Gujarat man uses dead cousin’s identity to get Portuguese citizenship

AHMEDABAD: A 37-year-old man from Pardi, Valsad, has been accused of using his deceased cousin's identity to get Portuguese citizenship. The incident was reported to Gujarat University police by Ishita Thakkar, an immigration officer at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) on Ishwar Bhuvan Road, on Tuesday.
According to the complaint, a man identifying himself as Mayur Ramesh Tandel, applied for an Indian visa through the e-FRRO portal. During the verification process, inconsistencies were found in his documents. The applicant submitted a cancelled Indian passport along with his Portuguese passport, but discrepancies in birth details and previous records raised suspicion.
When called for biometric verification, the applicant provided responses that did not match the records. Upon further questioning, he revealed that his actual name was Karan Jayanti Tandel, a resident of Daman.
Officials discovered that he previously held an Indian passport under this name, which expired.
He allegedly used the identity of his deceased cousin, Mayur Ramesh Tandel, and acquired a Portuguese passport.
The applicant manipulated official records and documents to claim Portuguese nationality.
His deceased cousin's identity was reportedly used in coordination with family members already holding Portuguese citizenship. The case was escalated to senior officials, leading to a formal complaint.
A case of forgery was registered with the Gujarat University police under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with charges of the Passport Act.