Two British citizens get six months’ jail for crossing into India from Nepal illegally

A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district has sentenced two British nationals to six months’ imprisonment for illegally entering India from Nepal, officials said on Tuesday.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Pratibha Chowdhry delivered the order on Monday and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each convict. In case of default in payment, they will have to serve an additional three months in jail.

The court, however, granted them bail after pronouncing the sentence , directing that they must not leave India during the appeal period .

According to prosecution officer Nirmal Yadav, the two convicts, Dr Hassan Amman Saleem (35) and Dr Sumitra Shakeel Olivia (61) were arrested in November 2025 near the Indo-Nepal border at Rupaideha for attempting to enter India without valid travel documents.

Security personnel from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Uttar Pradesh Police intercepted the duo during a joint checking drive on November 15, 2025 while they were crossing into Indian territory. During verification, officials found that both lacked valid Indian visas , leading to their arrest under provisions of the Passport Act and the Immigration and Foreigners Act .

Saleem, originally from Gujranwala in Pakistan , lives in Manchester in the United Kingdom and works as a lecturer in audiology at De Montfort University. Olivia, who hails from Udupi in Karnataka, later acquired British citizenship and resides in Gloucester in the UK. She carries a British passport and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, though the OCI status does not exempt holders from immigration rules when entering the country through land borders.

Officials said the two had travelled from the United Kingdom to Nepal in November 2025 to participate in a medical charity programme for hearing-impaired children at a hospital in Nepalgunj , where they were volunteering as audiology professionals.

During their stay in Nepal, the pair reportedly visited the nearby border area and attempted to cross into India without informing authorities or possessing valid entry documents , triggering suspicion amid heightened security checks at the border at the time.

After their arrest, the two spent some time in jail before being granted bail on the condition that they remain in India and attend court proceedings. During the trial, they stayed mainly in hotels in Bahraich and appeared regularly before the court.

Based on the evidence presented, the court found both accused guilty , noting that strict punishment in cases of illegal entry is necessary to ensure adherence to immigration laws, the prosecution officer said.