Diu Police have uncovered an alleged identity fraud racket linked to the illegal acquisition of Portuguese nationality, arresting a 54-year-old man accused of exploiting the identity of a deceased Portuguese national for more than three decades. Investigators allege that the accused fraudulently used the identity of a woman who died in 1990 to obtain nationality-related documents, alter birth records and facilitate multiple passport applications. Police believe the alleged network may extend beyond Gujarat and are continuing a wider investigation.
The accused, Jitendrakumar Parbat Baraiya (54), a resident of Ghoghla in Diu, was arrested in connection with an alleged racket involving fake Indian and Portuguese passports, identity theft and forgery of official records. Following his arrest, a court remanded him to four days of police custody to enable investigators to examine the suspected network and identify other individuals who may have been involved.
According to police, the first case against Baraiya was registered in 2025 under charges related to cheating, forgery of public records, criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act. Investigators allege that the entire fraud revolved around the identity of Shila Sundargi Bica, a Portuguese national by birth who died in Fudam, Diu, in 1990.
Police allege that Baraiya and his wife fraudulently used the deceased woman’s identity documents. Investigators claim that his wife, originally named Chandrakala Laljibhai, assumed the identity of Shila Sundargi Bica and unlawfully obtained Portuguese nationality using those documents.
The investigation further alleges that the accused illegally altered entries in the 1990 death register. Police claim that he subsequently registered multiple marriages in Diu and Una using the assumed identity. Investigators also allege that the couple later modified the birth certificates of their three children by replacing their mother’s original name with that of the deceased Portuguese national.
According to investigators, the alleged forgery extended beyond the immediate family. Police claim that in 2006 and 2007, the accused altered the birth certificates of his sister’s minor children to help his sister and brother-in-law illegally obtain Portuguese nationality. Authorities believe that several official civil registration records were manipulated as part of the alleged scheme.
A second FIR registered on January 20, 2026, alleges that the accused repeatedly registered births at different locations in an attempt to obtain multiple passports. During the investigation, police also discovered that Baraiya had allegedly acquired Portuguese nationality under the name Jaykumar Baraiya.
Searches conducted at the accused’s premises in Diu and Mumbai resulted in the seizure of several blank birth and death certificates, civil registration documents belonging to the Gujarat government and other suspected records. Investigators believe these documents were intended to establish false parental links to Diu for certain residents of Mehsana district, enabling them to claim nationality-related benefits through fraudulent means.
Police are now investigating who assisted the accused in allegedly tampering with the 1990 death register and whether any government officials or private individuals were involved in the wider conspiracy. Authorities said digital evidence, civil records and other documentary material are being thoroughly examined, and further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
