A court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has ordered the deportation of a Bangladeshi national who was found guilty of illegally entering and residing in India without valid documentation, PTI reports.
According to PTI, Additional Sessions Judge G T Pawar sentenced the accused, Vimal Ranjeet Vishwas, to one year and 54 days in prison, a duration he had already served in custody. In addition to the sentence, the court imposed a fine of ₹1,000 on him. Since he had completed his term, the court directed that he be deported to Bangladesh upon completion of the necessary legal formalities. A copy of the order, issued on 5th March, was made available on Monday.
As per PTI reports, the case came to light on 9th January 2024 when the police apprehended Vishwas in Bhayander, where he had been working in an industrial area. Upon investigation, it was discovered that he did not possess any valid Indian citizenship documents. During questioning, the accused admitted to being a Bangladeshi national and confessed that he had illegally entered India after paying ₹20,000 to an agent, PTI reports.
The court emphasised that, under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, the responsibility to prove legal residence in India lies with the accused. Judge Pawar noted that at no stage during the investigation or trial did the accused produce any valid documentation to establish his legal entry or residency in the country. “Neither during the investigation nor the trial did the accused provide any documents proving Indian citizenship or valid entry into India,” the court stated in its order.
As per PTI, since Vishwas had already served his sentence in custody, the court ordered his immediate deportation and instructed the authorities to complete all necessary formalities at the earliest.
Mumbai: Bangladeshi national, son arrested for staying illegally in Andheri West
Two illegal Bangladeshi nationals—a father and son—have been apprehended by the Versova police for allegedly entering India by swimming across the Padma river in a manner akin to how Shariful Islam, the alleged attacker of actor Saif Ali Khan, crossed the Dawki river seven months ago. The authorities discovered that both individuals worked for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on a contractual basis.
The accused, Bukhtiyar Dosur Sheikh, 70, and his son, Moner, 35, were residing at Yari Road in Versova, Andheri West. They hail from Andulbaria village in the Jibannagar upazila of the Khulna division’s Chuadanga district in Dhaka. Investigations revealed security lapses along rivers at the India-Bangladesh border.
The Ganges, upon entering Bangladesh, is referred to as the Padma. Approximately 54 rivers that form the border between India and Bangladesh, and authorities suspect security lapses along these riverine borders. According to a police officer, Bukhtiyar and Moner entered India eight years ago via the Padma after informing their family that they would return after making money in India, but they never did.
Cop Speak
A police officer stated, “The accused revealed that in April and March, sections of the Padma in Bangladesh tend to dry up, and thanks to low water levels, they managed to enter India from Bangladesh eight years ago. Later, they started working as labourers.” “Subsequently, they met a contractor who enables people to work for the BMC as sweepers. The duo took up the job and have been working under the contractor for many years. Authorities have not yet found any Indian documents on them,” the officer added.
Investigating officer PSI Sachin Ugale of Versova police station said, “Late on Wednesday night, the duo was spotted roaming in the area. We suspected that they were under the influence of drugs. When we took them into custody, after they failed to provide their identity, they revealed that they were Bangladeshi nationals.” “We arrested them for allegedly entering India without any valid passport or visa,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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