Ukrainian actor Armen Ataine, who was arrested in connection with the ongoing Torres investment fraud case, has been found to have possessed a fake birth certificate and falsely claimed to be an Indian national, the Mumbai Police revealed. Ataine, who was apprehended last week, was placed under 14-day judicial custody by a Mumbai court on Monday after his police custody came to an end. The police did not request an extension of his custody, though they noted that they may apply for a fresh remand if further investigation requires it.

According to the police remand note, Ataine allegedly presented various forged documents, including a birth certificate, Aadhaar card, and a driving licence, during his investigation. The police became suspicious of the birth certificate after it listed the F Ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as the issuing authority. Upon further verification with the F Ward, it was found that the birth certificate was forged. PTI reports that the actor’s attempt to pass himself off as an Indian national, along with the counterfeit documentation, has raised further concerns about his involvement in the elaborate scam.