UP man crosses Pak border without visa for Facebook lover, lands in jail
A man from Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh crossed into Pakistan without a visa in pursuit of a woman he met on Facebook, only to land in
A man from Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh crossed into Pakistan without a visa in pursuit of a woman he met on Facebook, only to land in prison after his identity aroused suspicion. Months later, even after reportedly completing his sentence, he remains lodged in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail as his family pleads with the government to secure his return. Badal Babu worked as a tailor in Delhi before befriending a Pakistani woman named Sana on Facebook. According to his family, their online friendship gradually developed into a romantic relationship. Read Full Story His family says Badal last spoke to them on October 30, 2024. They claimed that he had left all his documents at home before disappearing.
It was only around 20 months ago, when videos and posts about him began circulating on social media, that they discovered he had entered Pakistan illegally and had been arrested. According to the family's account, Badal first attempted to travel to Pakistan in August 2024 but was unsuccessful. He later managed to cross the border without a visa and reached Pakistan on October 15, 2024. The family has claimed that after Sana declined to marry him, Badal stayed back in Pakistan and took up work there. He remained in touch with his relatives over phone calls. His troubles reportedly began on December 27, 2024, when he was grazing goats for his employer.
Locals allegedly became suspicious after overhearing his speech and noticing his Indian dialect. Police were informed, following which he was arrested and produced before a court for illegally entering the country. Around the same time, a video reportedly showing Badal from court premises went viral on social media. In the clip, he is heard telling his family not to worry and saying, "I will not return now. Don't worry. I have converted." The video call was reportedly arranged by his lawyer before he was sent to jail. Badal is currently lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. His family says he has already completed his sentence but remains behind bars because the repatriation process has not been completed.
The family has appealed to the government and the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate his return. They also claimed that the Aligarh administration has processed the required paperwork several times and that Aligarh MP Satish Gautam had earlier written to the Ministry regarding the matter. According to the family, an Indian-origin woman based in London is coordinating with Badal's legal representatives in Pakistan and is helping them pursue his release. Ends
The BriefWire