Shahbaz Ali, a robber linked to a theft from the Vande Bharat train, has been apprehended by the Ahmedabad Railway Police in Gujarat. Ali had been presenting himself as a major in the Indian Army under the alias Harshit Chaudhary, complete with forged documents and an army ID card.
The incident occurred when a suitcase was reported stolen from the Vande Bharat train in Gujarat, prompting a complaint to the Ahmedabad Railway Police. During the investigation, officers reviewed CCTV footage that captured a young man with the stolen suitcase. Further inquiries led to his identification as Harshit Chaudhary from Rajasthan, and he was arrested on September 5.
Upon his arrest, Ali was brought to Ahmedabad, where he was interrogated. Authorities discovered his true identity: Shahbaz Mushtaq Ali Khan. He had fraudulently obtained an Aadhaar card in the name of Harshit Chaudhary and posed not only as a Hindu but also as an army officer. A fake ID card bearing his picture and alias was also found during the investigation.
Shahbaz admitted to using these false identities for travel, having taken three domestic flights and three train trips. He revealed that his motivations were driven by a desire to project a higher social status.
Shahbaz, originally from Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh, is married with two children. His family background includes a retired army father and a brother currently serving in the Indian Air Force. He has been placed in judicial custody, while police continue to investigate whether his actions were intended to intimidate or if there were other malicious motives behind them.