Four Bangladeshi women get two years jail for illegal stay

Thane: A court in Thane has awarded two years of imprisonment to four Bangladeshi women for staying in the country without valid documents.

Thane Ad-hoc district judge and assistant sessions judge R S Patil (Bhosale) awarded the sentence on Tuesday.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the four women-- Janna Noorislam Shaikh (35), Shuki Harun Mulla (58), Mim alias Seema Samath Matbar (30) and Maina Jumat Gazi (30).

According to the prosecution, the officials of the Anti Human Trafficking Cell of Thane district rural police, led by inspector Sanjay Bhangar, had carried out raids in Kashimira township in the district in January and February this year and held two Bangladeshi women each on both the occasions.

In their submission, prosecutors Vinit Kulkarni, Ujwala Moholkar and Vandana Jadhav told the court that the four women resided in the township and were doing daily wage jobs.

After they were caught, the police asked them to show their valid documents for their stay in the country. However, the women failed do so. Later, the women admitted that they were from Bangladesh.

The police inquiry revealed that the women did not possess a passport, visa or any other valid document to reside in India.

In his order, the judge said the women entered the country due to poverty and unemployment and were into daily wages job. "It is not disputed that the accused are poor and they were not involved in any illegal activities in this country. Hence, leniency is required to be shown while imposing punishment on them," he said.

The prosecutors, however, submitted that the accused had illegally entered the country. "Such type of instances may create a law and order problem. Hence, no leniency should be shown and maximum punishment may kindly be imposed," they said.

The court convicted the women for the offence punishable under section 14 A(b) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

It also directed the jail officials and the police officer in charge of Nayanagar police station to take steps to deport the accused to their country on the expiry of the period of the sentence, so that they shall not remain within the territory of India.