American national Jordan Brown, claiming to be ex-US Navy officer, held at India-Nepal border without travel documents

An American national who claimed to have travelled to nearly 70 countries and previously served in the US military has been arrested near the India-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh after allegedly attempting to cross into Nepal without valid travel documents, The Times of India reported.

Identifying himself as Jordan Brown, the man was intercepted by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel and Uttar Pradesh Police near Border Pillar No. 516 in Maharajganj district, away from the designated immigration route. According to the report, Brown was not carrying a passport, visa or any other identification documents. Officials said he allegedly gave inconsistent accounts of his identity, travel history and purpose of travel, prompting police and intelligence agencies to verify his claims.

During questioning, Brown allegedly told investigators that he was from California, had studied at the University of California and served in the US Navy and Special Forces for six years before leaving the military around two years ago, The Times of India reported. He also claimed he had entered India after travelling through Bali and had spent nearly two months in Goa before heading to Uttar Pradesh, where he allegedly planned to cross into Nepal to meet an acquaintance.


Police said Brown repeatedly changed his version during interrogation, including details about the whereabouts of his passport and the people he intended to meet. He has since been arrested and sent to jail, while the US Embassy has been informed. Investigators are independently verifying his identity, travel route and other claims, according to the report.

The arrest comes months after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested another American national, Matthew Aaron Van Dyke, along with six Ukrainian nationals, over alleged links with ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. Investigators believe the cases underscore the growing challenge of monitoring foreign nationals whose identities, movements and intentions remain difficult to verify near India's sensitive international borders, The Times of India reported.