Eight Bangladeshis, all transgenders, held for illegal stay in Mumbai

The Shivaji Nagar police in Govandi have arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals, all transgenders, for allegedly residing illegally in India. According to the police, all of them had been living in Rafiq Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, without valid documentation for more than five years.

The police stated that the accused had been working as performers (dance artists). Additionally, they were allegedly involved in prostitution, cheating, and defrauding people.

“Their main areas were Chedda Nagar Junction and Sion-Panvel Road near Vashi Naka, mostly during the night. Several cases of cheating were reported by individuals who had interactions with the accused. They would approach customers under the pretext of spending a night together and then loot them,” a police officer said, adding that many victims refrain from reporting such crimes due to social taboos.

According to police sources, the accused entered India illegally through an agent. “The agent was previously arrested by the Vikhroli police and had disclosed details about the method of entry, revealing that more than 120 individuals were brought to different cities across India. A significant number of them settled in Mumbai and neighboring areas due to better business prospects,” a source said.

The arrests followed a tip-off received by the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) of the Shivaji Nagar police regarding illegal residents in their jurisdiction. Assistant Police Inspector (API) Vikrant Shinde led the operation, along with his team, raiding settlements and bars on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, which led to the arrests.

The arrested individuals have been identified as:

Baisakhi Mohammad Khan (24) from Dhaka
Mohammad Ridoy Pakhi (25) from Kishoreganj
Maruf Dhali (18) from Dhaka
Shantakant Khan (20) from Dhaka
Barsha Khan (22) from Narayanganj
Mohammad Afzal Hussain (22) from Kishoreganj
Mizanur Kolil (21) from Kishoreganj
Shahadad Amir Khan (20) from Narayanganj, Bangladesh

Mumbai police arrested eight Bangladeshi nationals, all transgenders, for illegally residing in Rafiq Nagar, Govandi, for over five years. They allegedly engaged in performing arts, prostitution, and fraud. Using fake documents, they blended into society but were traced through… pic.twitter.com/ve8Ibtgivw

— Mid Day (@mid_day) March 27, 2025

Police added that all the accused had obtained fraudulent documents to falsely claim Indian citizenship. However, through technical investigation, officers traced their digital footprints, which revealed their connections to Bangladesh, where their families reside.

“They had changed their names, identities, and, in some instances, even their genders. They appeared no different from other citizens. However, certain mobile applications they used to send money to their families helped us trace them through technical investigation,” a police source said.

All the accused have been remanded to police custody and are being interrogated. “The investigation will focus on identifying others who entered India with them and those who assisted them in acquiring identity documents in the city or elsewhere,” an official confirmed.