Chinese Woman Sentenced to Eight Years for Entering India Disguised as Buddhist Monk

Lucknow: A local court on Monday sentenced a Chinese woman to eight years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000 after finding her guilty of illegally entering India while disguised as a Buddhist monk. The incident dates back to December 2, 2023, when personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal’s 42nd Battalion intercepted her at the Rupaideha outpost along the India–Nepal border.

Investigators said the woman was attempting to cross into Nepal dressed in monk’s robes when security officials stopped her for verification. She was identified as 45-year-old Li Xinmei, also known as Li Shin Mei, a Chinese national holding a Republic of China passport with an address in Shandong province. Her passport carried a Nepal visa valid from November 19, 2023, to February 16, 2024. Authorities later confirmed that she had entered India without any valid travel documents.

Because Li did not understand Hindi or English, officials questioned her with the help of an interpreter. During the search, security personnel recovered several foreign documents, her passport, a Chinese citizenship card, ATM cards, a mobile phone, earphones, a massager, a memory book and a Chinese religious text. She was booked under Section 14A of the Foreigners Act at Rupaideha police station, and a chargesheet was filed later that month.

While delivering the verdict, Additional District and Sessions Judge Kavita Nigam ruled that Li had unlawfully infiltrated India without a valid visa. The court awarded her eight years of rigorous imprisonment and stated that failure to pay the ₹50,000 fine would result in an additional six months of imprisonment.