New documents have emerged showing that Sajid Akram, one of the gunmen involved in the deadly Sydney Bondi Beach attack during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, held an Indian passport issued by the Indian Embassy on February 24, 2022, with a ten-year validity.

Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed Akram, opened fire during the December 14 event, leaving at least 15 dead, including a rabbi with five children, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl, Matilda Britvan.

Two police officers remain in critical but stable condition, according to New South Wales police.

The revelation of the passport has prompted questions about whether Indian authorities were aware of Sajid Akram’s citizenship from the outset.

Sources allege that Indian officials may have deliberately concealed this information, which some critics say allowed media outlets to falsely portray the attackers as Pakistani, fuelling misleading narratives and international criticism of Pakistan.

The matter is being discussed in the context of Australia’s past concerns about Indian intelligence.

A 2020 report by The Guardian noted that Australia had expelled two officials linked to India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for their involvement in profiling Indian nationals in the country.

Analysts say the possibility of the Sydney attackers having links to Indian intelligence cannot be completely ruled out, though conclusions will depend on ongoing investigations.

Australian authorities have yet to provide an official response to these claims, and their investigation into all aspects of the attack is continuing.