US citizen arrested for illegally entering India via Nepal border

Sitamarhi: A 57-year-old US national was arrested in Bihar's Sitamarhi district while trying to cross over to Nepal without valid travel documents, officials said on Thursday.

Police said Christopher Jay Chew, US national, was first intercepted by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel at Bitthamore-Jaleswar check-post during checking of a Bharat-Nepal Maitri bus on Wednesday.

Talking to PTI on Thursday, Pankaj Kumar Darad, IG (SSB), Frontier Patna, said during checking, the suspect was found having no document of travel or identity. He was detained. His name is Christopher Jay Chew and as per his statement, he is a resident of California (USA).

"Further, he stated that he boarded a train from Anand Vihar Railway Station (New Delhi) on August 26 and reached Patna on the night of August 27. Further, he took a ticket from Patna to Sitamarhi in Maitri bus. He did not de-board at Sitamarhi and he reached Bhittamore-Jaleshwar check post on August 28 with the intention to cross international border and to reach Janakpur, Nepal", said Darad.

The IG said "as per information provided by him, he visited various countries (UK, France, Spain, Mexico and Canada). He has an Indian associate namely Ravi Singh, a resident of Punjab. Ravi Singh assisted him in getting an Indian SIM card. He stated that he is a trader of antique items, garments".

Chew was interrogated and handed over to the district police.

Talking to PTI on Thursday, Manoj Kumari Tiwari, Superintendent of Police (SP-Sitamarhi), said, "A case has been registered against him and he has been arrested. He is being interrogated by police and we are trying to ascertain the identity of his associates".