Mumbai Crime Branch sleuths arrest 3 accused in illegal immigration probe

(From left) Akram Sheikh, Lina Haldar and Monji Sheikh

The Mumbai Police's ongoing crackdown against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants continues, with the Crime Branch arresting three accused over the last three days. According to Crime Branch officials, the first two arrests were made on Thursday, after the Crime Branch Unit VI received a tip-off about an illegal immigration racket.

"Acting on the tip-off, we laid a trap near the Sewree Railway Station and arrested the first accused, identified as Akram Noornabi Sheikh, 26," said a Crime Branch officer. "Further investigation established that Sheikh, originally a Bangladeshi national, had crossed the India-Bangladesh border illegally."

Sheikh's questioning led the police to Lina Shajan Haldar, 26, another illegal immigrant who was later arrested from Koparkhairane in Navi Mumbai. Both the accused were produced in court and remanded to police custody till December 12. Subsequently, on Saturday, the police arrested a third accused in connection with the case. The police said that the accused, Monji Khatun Sheikh, 35, was also arrested from Navi Mumbai for allegedly helping Akram cross the border.

"Investigations indicate that Akram, after crossing over illegally, was now acting as an agent to facilitate other such immigration. Further probe is underway," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roushan, Detection-I.