'Strict probe on': MEA as illegal entry of Pakistan citizen Seema Haider stirs tension

As Seema Haider (30) and Sachin Meena’s (22) cross-border love story has been grabbing headlines during the past few days ever since she illegally entered India through Nepal, along with her four children to be with her noida-based lover, Ministry of External Affairs asserted that the case pertaining to Pakistani national Seema Haider is under investigation and the individual was presented before court and is on bail. 

During a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We are aware of the matter. She was presented before the court and is now out on bail. The matter is under investigation and we will give you further information if it comes. As of now, this is all I can say.”

As the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) continues to probe the espionage angle in Seema Haider's journey from Karachi to Greater Noida, sources familiar with the matter said that Seema and Sachin had meticulously planned her entry into India. 

Espionage angle in Seema Haider case being probed

Seema was taken into custody from her Noida residence by UP ATS (Ant-Terrorism Squad) on July 19. The ATS later released her at around 11 pm on the same day. Earlier on July 4, the Gautambuddha Nagar Police had arrested Seema for illegally entering India via Nepal with her four children. Her partner Sachin Meena and his father were arrested for sheltering the illegal immigrants. However, both of them were granted bail by a local court on July 7 and have since been residing together with Seema's four children in a house in the Rabupura area.

Revealing key details of the probe, UP DGP listed following facts:

• Sachin Meena and Pakistani woman Seema Ghulam Haider came in contact with each other through online game PUBG in the year 2020. After playing video games for about 15 days, both of them had a conversation with each other and they shared their WhatsApp numbers. 
• Seema Haider's husband Ghulam Haider went to Saudi Arabia to work in 2019. He used to send Rs 70-80 thousand per month (Pakistani Rupees) from Saudi. Seema Haider used to save 20-25 thousand rupees per month. She had also invested in two committees of 1 lakh rupees each for 20 months. In 2021, about 2 lakh rupees were collected from the committees.
• She used to save Rs 4-5 lakhs annually and used to keep all her savings with the daughter of the landlord. Rs 1 lakh was sent by Haider's father and 5-6 lakh rupees were from her savings. In addition, Haider once sent Rs 2 lakhs 50 thousand from Saudi. With the help of relatives, she bought a house of 39 yards worth Rs 12 lakh. About three months after buying the house, in January 2022, she sold the house for 12 lakhs in order to come to India for Sachin Meena.
• Seema Haider reached Nepal on March 10, 2023 from Pakistan's Karachi Airport via Sharjah Airport to Kathmandu Airport in Nepal on a 15 days tourist visa and returned from Nepal on March 17, 2023 via the same route. She reached Karachi Airport on March 18, 2023. 
• Sachin Meena reached Gorakhpur from Pari Chowk, Gautam Buddha Nagar on March 8 and on the next day, he left for Sonoli border in Kathmandu, Nepal. He stayed at New Vinayak Hotel, New Bus Adda Park in Kathmandu on March 10.
• Sachin Meena received Seema Haider from Kathmandu airport on March 10, 2023 and brought her to New Vinayak Hotel, Kathmandu where both of them stayed together till March 17, 2023.
• For the second time, Seema Haider came to Dubai from Pakistan on May 10 with her four children - Farhan alias Raj (aged 7 years 06 months) and daughter Farwah alias Priyanka (aged 06 years 06 months), Fariha alias Pari (aged 06 years 06 months). 05 years), Munni (age 03 years). They reached Kathmandu airport on May 11 and stayed in Nepal’s Pokhara. 
• She reached Rabupura in Noida on May 13 via Roopandehi Khunwa border. She took the bus from Pokhara on May 12 and entered Indian territory from district Siddharthnagar via Lucknow, Agra. 
• Sachin Meena, who boarded a bus from Gautam Budh Nagar, had already taken a rented room in Rabupura where the duo stayed together. 
• Two video cassettes, 4 mobile phones, 5 Pakistani authorised passports including one with incomplete name-address from Seema Haider have been seized. Unused passports and identity cards have also been recovered.