A 22-year-old man was found living in Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-Bombay) campus, without actually being a student or possessing any formal college degree. The man managed to not only infiltrate the high-security campus, but also reside there undetected for almost 14 days. However, a peaceful nap on a sofa one day busted him, eventually leading to his arrest.
The man, identified as Bilal Ahmad Teli, had been living on the campus, roaming around freely, for the past few days. Not only did he sleep in hostel lounges, he attended lectures, and even partcipated in a seminar on Artifical Intelligence, all while pretending to be a PhD scholar at IIT-Bombay.
Accorrding to authorities, he used fake admission documents to support his claims and frequented places on the campus where he could get free food and beverage. He had also attended a seminar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) during his illegal stay at the campus in Powai, NDTV reported citing Mumbai Crime Branch sources.
“He claimed to be a doctoral student and even had paperwork to match," authorities said, adding, “But he had no actual links to the institution."
One day Teli was spotted sleeping on a sofa by an IIT-Bombay employee, which prompted college authorities to question his identity. When he fled the scene without answering, the institute's CCTV footage was reviewed, which confirmed that he was not enrolled as a student.
During interrogation, the man revealed that it was not the first time that he infiltrated the campus, and that he had previously stayed there for a month in 2023 as well, but no one noticed him.
Bilal Ahmad Teli is currently in a 14-day judicial custody until July 7, while the Mumbai Crime Branch and central intelligence agencies are investigating the matter.
Fake Student Had Created 21 Email IDs, Shot Campus Videos
When the Crime Branch officials seized Teli's phone, they found out that he had deleted a lot of data on it. They found he had filmed videos of the campus, but had not forwarded them to anyone.
Further probe revealed he had created 21 email IDs, which he said he had made for several blogs he was running. Teli claimed he wanted to become a social media influencer to make more money and become popular online, the NDTV report noted.
Efforts are underway to retrieve the lost data at a cyber lab. Intelligence officials have not ruled out the possibility of a wider agenda amid concerns of anti-national motives.
About Bilal Ahmed Teli: Travel History And Qualifications
Bilal Ahmed Teli currently works at a private firm in Gujarat's Surat, where his monthly income is Rs 1.25 lakh. He previously completed a six-month course in software development after completing his 12th standard. He also holds a one-year diploma in web design.
His father has a garment business. Teli travelled to Bahrain in 2024, prior to which he also has a travel history to Dubai.
Anti-terror agencies and the intelligence bureau are also questioning Bilal as they are probing an anti-national element angle as well in the case, NDTV reported citing officials.