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Banned Immigrant Returns with New Identity, Gained Citizenship


YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/8LG7ogB_Lm8


A 46-year-old man has been sentenced to a prison term and caning for illegally re-entering Singapore under a false identity after being permanently banned, and subsequently obtaining permanent residency and citizenship through deception. The individual, known as Muhammad Salman but whose original name is Malik Irfan Arshad, was sentenced on October 2 to three years in prison and three strokes of the cane.

The court heard that Salman was originally convicted in 1998 for cheating and providing false information to a public servant. As a consequence of his conviction, he served a jail sentence and was issued a permanent ban from re-entering Singapore. Despite this prohibition, Salman deliberately returned to the country on November 19, 1999, using a new identity.

Over the following years, he built a life in Singapore. On December 30, 2002, he submitted a successful application for permanent residency by making false declarations about his past and his true identity. He later escalated this deception on August 10, 2007, by applying for and being granted Singapore citizenship, again by providing false statements and concealing his previous conviction and deportation.

His long-running deception was uncovered following his arrest by police for an unrelated affray incident in 2021. Subsequent investigations revealed his original identity and the history he had concealed. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority explained that his initial re-entry was not detected because the systematic fingerprinting of deported individuals only began in 2004, and the screening of foreign visitors' fingerprints started in 2006.

The authority stated that it would now review Salman's Singapore citizenship status following his conviction. They emphasized that current enhanced border measures, including comprehensive biometric screening for first-time visitors and for all applicants for permanent residency and citizenship, are designed to prevent such occurrences. The ICA warned that it takes a serious view of individuals who provide false information and will deal with them firmly, which can include the revocation of citizenship.

In mitigation, Salman's lawyer stated his client was remorseful for a rash decision made long ago and felt compelled to maintain the false identity after starting a family in Singapore.

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Location: Singapore

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