Uttar Pradesh, 14 July 2026: A US national who reportedly claimed to have served in the US Navy and Special Forces has been arrested near the Sonauli international border while allegedly attempting to enter Nepal without valid travel documents.
The detained foreign national has been identified as Jordan Brown, a resident of California, United States.
According to Siddharth, Additional Superintendent of Police, Maharajganj, Brown was apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) near Sonauli on July 11 while allegedly attempting to cross into Nepal without authorization. During questioning, he identified himself as a US citizen from California.
Police said no valid passport or other travel documents were recovered from him.
During interrogation, Brown reportedly claimed that he had travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa, where his passport was lost. He then allegedly travelled by sea to Sri Lanka and subsequently entered India by sea on November 2, 2025. According to his statement to investigators, he had been staying in Goa since entering India.
However, police said the man gave varying accounts regarding his travel history and movements within India. In another account, he reportedly claimed to have arrived in Goa from the United States around two months ago, stayed there for nearly six weeks, and later travelled from Bengaluru to Lucknow by bus on July 8 before proceeding to Gorakhpur. He then allegedly hired a taxi to reach the Sonauli border.
Brown also reportedly told investigators that he was travelling to Nepal to meet a person identified only as “Naz,” whom he described as a Nepalese national he had met in Goa. He further claimed that an acquaintance in Bengaluru was in possession of his passport. However, officials said he could not provide complete addresses or verifiable details about either person.
During questioning, Brown allegedly claimed that he had studied at the University of California and served in the US Navy and Special Forces for six years before leaving military service around two years ago. He also reportedly told investigators that both of his parents had died.
The foreign national further claimed that he had met an Indian woman from Uttarakhand in Italy three years ago and married her in October 2024. According to his statement, she works as a yoga instructor.
Police said Brown repeatedly changed parts of his statement during interrogation, prompting security agencies to verify his identity, travel route, military-service claims and the circumstances surrounding his entry into India.
A case has been registered at Sonauli Police Station under Sections 21 and 23 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act for allegedly entering and staying in India without valid documents. Further legal action is underway.
Security and intelligence agencies are continuing to investigate the claims made by the detained US national.
