Siliguri, Feb. 3: An 18-year-old youth, who was found moving on Bagdogra Air Force Station premises under suspicious circumstances, was arrested last night.

Vivek Sharma, a resident of Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court here today and remanded in police custody for seven days.

“The youth initially pretended that he was hearing-impaired and to support the claim, he furnished some certificates. He had some papers to seek financial help from officers living in the air force station. However, when we took him into custody, we found that he could speak as well as hear,” an officer said.

Police recovered a donation book, some school certificates in the name of one Akash Sharma and a document certifying that he was hearing-impaired. During preliminary interrogation, the police also came to know that Vivek tried to enter the officers’ quarters after he had been denied subscription.

“The Air Force personnel suspected something fishy, caught him and handed him over to Bagdogra police last night. Charges under the Official Secrets Act have been slapped on him,” said Gaurav Sharma, the additional superintendent of police of Siliguri.

“The documents recovered from him appear to be forged. We are trying to find out his intention as he attempted to enter the restricted area in Bagdogra. Once we get him in remand, we will cross-examine the documents and check his claims,” said Sharma.

While producing Vivek in the court, the police appealed for 10 days of remand. “The Air Force Station is a highly restricted area and has a defence base as well as an airport. Entry there is prohibited and considering the national security aspect, I request the court to remand him in police custody for further investigation,” Subrata Saha, the public prosecutor, said during his submission.

The judge, however, ordered that he would be in police custody for seven days and he would have to be produced in the court on February 10.