Five Bangladeshi nationals held for illegal stay in Navi Mumbai

Among the five arrested, four are women who used to work as housekeepers in Navi Mumbai. Representative pic

Five Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested for allegedly staying illegally in Navi Mumbai, the police said on Sunday.

Following a tip off, the Navi Mumbai Police's anti-human trafficking cell conducted a raid in a residential building at Koparkhairne on Saturday and apprehended four women and a man.

During the questioning, it came to light that they entered India using forged documents, an officer from Koparkhairne police station said.

The women, who are in the age group of 34 to 45 years, worked as housekeepers, while the man, aged 38, used to do painting work, the officer said.

A first information report (FIR) was registered against them under the relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and forgery as well as under the provisions of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules-1950 and the Foreigners Act-1946, the officer said.

In May, the Mumbai Killa Court 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 they failed to pay the fine, 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.

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.

(With PTI inputs)