An American national has been booked for allegedly entering India without valid travel documents after he was apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) near the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district, police said on Monday.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police Siddharth, the man, identified as Jordan Brown, was detained on July 11 near Sonauli while allegedly attempting to cross into Nepal without authorisation.
During questioning, Brown claimed to be a US citizen from California. He told investigators that he had travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa, where he lost his passport. He then allegedly reached Sri Lanka by sea before entering India through a sea route on November 2, 2025.
Police said Brown claimed he had been living in Goa since arriving in India and was attempting to travel to Nepal when he was intercepted by the SSB.
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Officials said no valid passport, visa or other travel documents were recovered from his possession at the time of his detention.
His claims are currently being verified by the authorities.
A case has been registered against him at Sonauli Police Station under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for allegedly entering India without valid documents.
Police said further legal proceedings are underway and the circumstances surrounding his entry into the country are being investigated.
The Sonauli border, located along the India-Nepal frontier, is one of the busiest land transit points between the two countries and remains under close surveillance by the SSB and other security agencies to prevent illegal cross-border movement.
Authorities have not disclosed whether Brown had any previous immigration record in India or whether he had approached any foreign mission after allegedly losing his passport. The investigation is expected to establish the authenticity of his claims and the route he used to enter the country.
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