Navi Mumbai News: Crime Branch Arrests 5 Bangladeshi Nationals For Illegal Stay In Panvel, Indian National Detained For Fraudulent Documents

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch arrested five Bangladeshi nationals—two men and three women—from a residential apartment in Karanjade, Panvel, for unlawfully residing in India. In addition, an Indian national who allegedly helped them acquire fraudulent identity documents has also been detained.

Acting on an information received by PSI Sarita Gude of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), a police team conducted a raid on May 4, Blue Kish Co-operative Housing Society, Sector 6, Karanjade. During the operation, six individuals were found staying at the premises—three men and three women.

Upon questioning, the individuals revealed that some of them had originally entered India using valid visas but continued residing in the country after their visas had expired. The remaining individuals admitted to having crossed the Indo-Bangladesh border through unauthorized routes, avoiding border patrols and entering the country without valid travel documents or prior permissions from Indian authorities, police said.

Investigations further revealed that although all six were Bangladeshi nationals, several of them had managed to obtain Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and voter ID cards. Moreover, it came to light that three of the accused had even acquired Indian passports through fraudulent means.

"We are currently initiating procedures to cancel all Indian documents obtained illegally by the accused," assistant commissioner of police (crime branch) Ajay Landge said.

A criminal case has been registered at Panvel City Police Station under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1950, Sections 3(a) and 6(a), the Foreigners Act, 1946, Section 14(a), and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2).

The arrested foreign nationals have been identified as Anna Khatun Akash Ghazi, a 35-year-old beautician and tailor, who was residing with her six-year-old daughter, Alo Khatun Islam Ghazi, a 31-year-old housewife, Istrafill Islam Ghazi, a 25-year-old laborer; Kiya Akash Ghazi, a 21-year-old student and Akash Latif Ghazi, a 40-year-old rickshaw driver.

All of them were residing in the Karanjade area of Panvel but trace their origins to various districts in Bangladesh, including Bhola and Jessore, said police.

The sixth accused has been identified as Mohammad Ismail Aminnoddin Yeulkar, a 52-year-old Indian national who allegedly assisted the Bangladeshi nationals in procuring forged Indian documents and facilitated their stay in the country. Based on preliminary findings, he has been named a co-accused in the case.

The Navi Mumbai police has appealed to the public to verify the identity of any Bangladeshi nationals before renting out homes or offering them employment. The police have warned that anyone found sheltering or employing illegal foreign nationals will be prosecuted under Section 14(c) of the Foreigners Act and Section 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, and may also be treated as co-accused.