UP court sentences Uzbek woman to 10 months in jail for illegally entering India

A local court in Uttar Pradesh’s Maharajganj district has sentenced a 33-year-old woman from Uzbekistan to 10 months and 10 days of imprisonment for illegally entering India from Nepal, officials said on Friday.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on her in a case that dates back to August 14, 2023.

According to the prosecution, police apprehended Dilbar Rakhimova in Sonauli — a town on the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh. Police suspected that she was a foreign national and had crossed over into Indian territory from Nepal.

During interrogation, Rakhimova disclosed her identity and admitted she had entered India without a valid visa. A case was subsequently registered under provisions of the Foreigners Act, and a chargesheet was filed.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Mukesh Yadav, after hearing the case, found Rakhimova guilty and sentenced her to 10 months and 10 days of jail time, along with a fine.

In case of default in payment, she will have to undergo an additional two months in jail, public prosecutor Pravindra Kumar Diwakar said.