Mumbai Man Who Posed As BARC Scientist Arrested; Fake Degrees, Passports, 14 Maps Found

Last Updated:October 22, 2025, 13:05 IST

For nearly two decades, Ahmed reportedly lived as Alexander Palmer, obtaining 3 passports and several government IDs, including Aadhaar and PAN

The accused's background, too, has drawn the attention of central agencies. (AI-generated image)

A 60-year-old man from Mumbai has been arrested for allegedly posing as a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and travelling abroad under multiple fake identities. The accused, identified as Akhtar Hussain Qutubuddin Ahmed, was taken into custody on Friday by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch’s Crime Intelligence Unit and has been remanded in police custody till October 24.

During a raid at his residence in Versova, the police recovered two fake BARC identity cards, one bearing the name Alexander Palmer and another as Ali Raza Hussain, along with forged educational degrees, fake passports, maps, pendrives, and mobile phones. Investigators also found several fake marksheets for Class 10 and 12, degrees in BSc, BTech and MBA, and multiple experience letters, all under the alias Alexander Palmer.

According to reports, sources said Ahmed had long been fascinated by physics, espionage, and secret operations. “He liked introducing himself as a secret agent or nuclear expert. Unfortunately, the only secret he’s keeping now is how he managed to get those BARC IDs," an officer said.

Ahmed’s background, too, has drawn the attention of central agencies. He previously worked in the Gulf in oil and marketing firms and was deported from Dubai in 2004 after being accused of attempting to sell sensitive information about India to Arab diplomats. Though he was later cleared of the charges following investigations by Indian authorities, his activities since then have remained under watch.

For nearly two decades, Ahmed reportedly lived as Alexander Palmer, obtaining three passports and several government IDs, including Aadhaar and PAN, under the false name. Police said his international travels have raised concerns of possible links to espionage or smuggling of sensitive nuclear information.

Officers also recovered 14 maps from his residence and are investigating the purpose behind their collection. “We suspect he’s a smooth-talking fraud who never accessed any high-security zone but made others believe he could," a senior officer said, adding that central agencies are now verifying his claims and contacts both in India and abroad.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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