An American man was arrested from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for “attempting to enter Nepal without authorisation”.
Multiple central intelligence and security agencies have questioned Jordan Brown, 36, from California to verify his identity and motive, a senior police official from the state’s Maharajganj district said in a video statement.
Additional superintendent of police, Siddharth, said the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a border force that guards India's borders with Nepal and Bhutan, apprehended Mr Brown on Saturday from Sonauli while attempting to enter Nepal.
Police said the US national had entered India illegally from Sri Lanka and been living in Goa since November 2025.
Mr Siddharth said Mr Brown had allegedly travelled to Thailand on a tourist visa where he claimed he lost his passport.
“He subsequently reached Sri Lanka via a sea route and arrived in India from there by sea on 2 November, 2025,” he said, adding that he has since been staying in Goa.
“He was attempting to enter Nepal when he was apprehended without any valid travel documents or proof of identity,” the officer added.
Police said a case has been registered against him for entry without a valid passport or other travel document and using forged or fraudulently obtained documents under the Immigration and Foreigners Act for entering India without valid documents.
According to reports, Mr Brown had earlier claimed that he was serving in the US Navy but later confessed it was not true.
He had said he served in the navy for six years before leaving the military about two years ago, according to the Live Mint newspaper.
Police have said while Mr Brown had given inconsistent statements, no evidence of suspicious links has emerged so far.
It comes months after another American, Matthew VanDyke, was held along with six Ukrainian mercenaries from near the Myanmar border. He remains in judicial custody at Tihar Jail, Delhi, following his arrest in March by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA).
He allegedly travelled to the northeastern state of Mizoram, crossed into Myanmar without authorisation, and made contact with ethnic armed organisations and groups banned in India.
They are alleged to have provided weapons, conducted drone training, and supported operations described as consistent with mercenary activity.
The Independent has reached out to the US embassy in India for comment.
