Mumbai: Court convicts 20 Bangladeshi nationals for illegally entering the country

With the Bangladesh nationals

The Mumbai Killa Court on Friday convicted 20 Bangladeshi nationals for entering India without valid passports and forging permanent residency documents, including Indian passports, Aadhar cards, and birth certificates. The court sentenced each convict to eight months in prison and imposed a fine of R4,000. If the fine is not paid, their prison term will be extended to 16 months.

On October 19, 2023, Borivli police apprehended three Bangladeshi citizens, registered an FIR, and arrested them under various sections. The team then arrested 17 more Bangladeshi citizens from Nalasopara, Virar, and Pune.

Police with the confiscated forged documents

Alongside the 20 Bangladeshi nationals, two agents from Pune who assisted them in creating the fake documents were also arrested.

mid-day conducted a series of detailed investigative stories, exposing the intricate methods used by Bangladeshi nationals to enter India. The comprehensive reports delved into how these individuals reach different parts of India and secure essential identification documents like Aadhar cards, PAN cards, Indian passports, visas, birth certificates, and voting cards.

One of these incidents that took place in Pune revealed the collusion between local police and agents, who facilitated the verification process. Following these revelations, the Pune Commissioner initiated an inquiry and subsequently suspended the involved police officers from three police stations for their participation in illegal activities.

The investigations revealed the extent of the racket, leading to the arrest of two agents from Pune who were instrumental in helping these Bangladeshi nationals forge Indian documents.

The hearing was conducted on May 24, and all the Bangladeshi nationals were sentenced to eight months in jail and a R4,000 fine each. After serving their punishment, the convicted Bangladeshi citizens will be deported to their respective countries.

Rs 4,000
The fine levied on each Bangladeshi national