Mumbai: Crime Branch busts illegal racket involved in fake docs for Bangladeshis, 4 arrested

Mumbai: Four persons were arrested by the Thane crime branch for allegedly preparing fake passports and visas for some Bangladeshi nationals, staying illegally in various parts of India, which enabled them to travel to foreign countries, an official said on Saturday (August 14).

The arrested accused included a fish seller from Gujarat and his wife. After receiving a tip-off about the racket, police laid a trap in Kalwa in the Thane district and nabbed Raju alias Farooque Safi Molla (29), a Bangladeshi national living illegally in India, on August 10, said senior police inspector Krishna Kokni of Thane crime branch.

He was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Passports Act, and the Foreigners Act. Molla's interrogation revealed that he and his associates used to prepare fake documents at Surat for Bangladeshi nationals who entered India illegally.

"Police arrested 11 accused involved in the crime of whom eight were handed over to the Gujarat police. Three of them were arrested in connection with the Kalwa case," Kokni said. Police seized five fake birth certificates showing their birth place in Gujarat, four Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, SIM cards procured from Bangladesh, two ATM cards also from Bangladesh. 12 Indian passports prepared for Bangladeshi nationals living in India illegally were also recovered.

"The accused had entered India illegally through West Bengal. They got fake Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other documents prepared with the help of local agents. Using these fake documents, they were staying in various states," the police officer said.

Some of the beneficiaries of these fake documents had opened bank accounts and even filed Income Tax returns. Later, they applied for Indian passports with these forged documents and obtained genuine ones, Kokni said.

"With the help of the genuine passports, these Bangladeshi men and women were sent to Mauritius, Maldives, and Bangladesh by the gang. The women who were sent to the Maldives using the Indian passports indulged in flesh trade there," police said.

Besides Molla, other accused are identified as Shriti Raju Molla alias Sumi (26), Mohammad Imon Moin Khan (38), and Mohammad Saiful Allauddin Molla (36), police said.
Further investigation is underway.

(With agency inputs)