Fake PhD Student Busted After 2 Weeks Inside IIT-Bombay
22-year-old with no college degree lived on campus, attended lectures, and joined seminars undetected.
In a startling security lapse at the Indian Institute of Technology‑Bombay (IIT‑B), Mumbai Police have arrested a 22‑year‑old Surat resident who allegedly lived on the campus for 14 days while posing as a PhD scholar.The suspect, Bilal Ahmad Teli, holds only a web‑design diploma yet attended lectures, lounged in hostels and even joined an Artificial Intelligence seminar. He was caught on 26 June after a staff member spotted him sleeping on a sofa, questioned him and he bolted, prompting a CCTV review that revealed his movements.
Investigators say Teli forged admission papers and created 21 email IDs plus several blogs to support his fabricated identity. His phone, seized for examination, shows data deletion; experts probing whether he accessed sensitive data. Teli told police he had stayed undetected at IIT‑B for a month in 2023 and claimed his goal was to gather “content” for a career as a social‑media influencer. He reportedly earns about Rs 1.25 lakh a month at a private firm and has travelled to Bahrain and Dubai. A magistrate has remanded him in judicial custody until 7 July while intelligence agencies audit campus security measures.
