On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh police claimed that they recovered four mobile phones, five passports, and two video cassettes from Pakistani national Seema Ghulam Haider, who 'illegally' entered India via the Nepal border to be with her Indian partner Sachin Meena.
"Two video cassettes, four mobile phones, five Pakistan-authorised passports, one unused passport with incomplete name and address and ID card recovered from Seema Haider. Investigation of the same is underway. She, along with her four children, entered India and Uttar Pradesh illegally," said a press note released by the UP Director General of Police (DGP).
The police claimed that Haider sold her house in Pakistan for Rs 12 lakh in March 2023 and travelled to India via Dubai-Nepal on a 15-day tourist visa to meet Meena. The house was purchased with the money sent to her by her Pakistani husband Ghulam Haider, who was working in Saudi Arabia since 2019, the press note said.
'Matter Linked to Two Nations, Not Right to Say Anything Unless There is Sufficient Proof': Top Cop
According to the press note, Haider first travelled to Nepal's Kathmandu from Karachi via Sharjah, in March this year. She met Meena, who reached the city from Pari Chowk in Gautam Buddh Nagar on 10 May. "The duo stayed together at New Vinayak Hotel, Kathmandu for seven days," stated the press note.
Two months later, in May, Haider, along with her four children, left for Kathmandu via Dubai to meet Meena on 12 May. Police claimed that they sneaked into India and started living with Meena in Rabupura, a village near Noida in western UP.
"Seema and Sachin first met in Nepal in January this year. In mid-May, the 27-year-old woman, along with her children, left Karachi to go to Dubai and then to Kathmandu. From Kathmandu, she went to Pokhara and took a bus and managed to cross the Indian border... Since she was a woman travelling with four children, she was able to flout security checks," DCP (Greater Noida) Saad Miya Khan had told The Quint.
Meanwhile, speaking to news agency ANI, Prashant Kumar, special director general (law and order), UP police said, "All agencies are doing their work. This matter is linked to two nations, it is not right to say anything unless there is sufficient proof. She had once been to jail and is now on bail. Further action is being taken..."
The couple claimed that they met each other in 2020 on the hugely popular gaming app, PUBG-Battleground — and fell in love. After knowing each other virtually for three years, they decided to get married and live together. Seema had earlier told The Quint that she accepted Hindu religion when the couple got married at the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal in March 2023. On Monday, both Haider and Meena were questioned by the Anti Terrorism Squad (UP ATS) at an undisclosed location.
"Seema Haider and Sachin Meena are being questioned by the UP ATS. They, however, haven't been taken into custody," SA Kulkarni, Additional CP (law and order) Noida had told The Quint.
While Seema was charged by the police for violating India's immigration laws, Sachin and his father Netrapal Meena were arrested for sheltering her.
The investigation is underway, said the UP DGP.
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