Bangladeshi national arrested after residing illegally in India for 20 years

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A 34-year-old Bangladeshi national, Ehsan Hafiz Shaikh, was arrested by Pune city police on Friday after it was discovered that he had been residing illegally in India for the past two decades.

According to ANI, Shaikh, who had been living in the Maharshi Nagar area of Pune, was taken into custody after being brought to the Swargate police station by activists from the Patit Pavan Sanghatna, who suspected him of being a Bangladeshi citizen. This led to the filing of an FIR at the Swargate police station, triggering an investigation into Shaikh's status in the country.

Investigations revealed that Shaikh originally hails from Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Police also discovered several mobile phone numbers belonging to his relatives in Bangladesh, further confirming his origins.

As per ANI, it was uncovered that Shaikh had entered India illegally in 2004 by crossing the international border without the necessary permits. In order to establish a false identity, he allegedly procured a fake birth certificate from Kolkata with the assistance of agents. This fraudulent document enabled him to obtain a series of other official documents, including an Indian passport, which facilitated his continued stay in India without detection.

The FIR also outlined the recovery of a substantial number of forged documents and items from Shaikh's residence during a search operation. Among the seized items were seven Aadhaar cards, two voter identity cards, two driving licences, seven PAN cards, four passports, nine debit and credit cards, one universal pass, eight birth certificates, and various foreign currencies from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar.

In addition, the police confiscated Shaikh's mobile phone, SIM cards, business documents, and a house rent agreement. He had been residing in Pune since 2009, working at several locations before finally settling in Maharshi Nagar in 2012, where he opened a garment shop.

ANI reports that the police have charged Shaikh under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), specifically Sections 318, 336, 338, and 340, alongside relevant sections of the Passport Act and Foreigners Act. Further investigations are underway to determine the extent of his illegal activities and connections.

This arrest highlights the ongoing efforts by authorities to detect and prevent illegal immigration in India, with Shaikh's case serving as a significant example of the exploitation of forged documents and the challenges faced in tracking down long-term illegal residents.