In a concerning revelation, Rohingya Muslims are reported to be illicitly entering India from Bangladesh, exploiting Aadhaar cards and the identities of dead individuals to establish residence in the country. Investigative agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have unveiled evidence pointing to the involvement of a human trafficking syndicate responsible for smuggling Rohingya Muslims into India.
The NIA, in a recent development, filed two charge sheets on Wednesday, January 31, implicating three Bangladeshi nationals in a case pertaining to the trafficking of Rohingya and Bangladeshi individuals into India. The accused individuals identified in the charge sheets are Mohammad Soriful alias Babu Mian, Shahabuddin Hossain, and Munna alias Noor Karim. The investigation, dubbed the “Tamil Nadu Human Trafficking” case, has been ongoing since November 7 of the last year.
During the course of the inquiry, investigators uncovered Babu’s alleged involvement in trafficking Bangladeshi citizens into India, facilitating their unlawful stay in the country without valid documentation. Babu, along with his associates, is accused of orchestrating the illegal entry and exploitation of the victims. Furthermore, Babu S.K. stands accused of forging multiple Indian identity documents, including birth certificates, driver’s licenses, ration cards, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, PAN cards, fake educational credentials, and passports. These falsified documents were reportedly used to facilitate the illegal entry and settlement of Rohingya Muslims in India.
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, during interrogation by investigative agencies, the three accused individuals disclosed that they utilized the identities of deceased Indian citizens to furnish Rohingya Muslims with Indian documentation. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been informed of numerous such instances by the accused, with a comprehensive investigation underway to identify and apprehend these infiltrators.
Simultaneously, the NIA has received reports of Rohingya infiltrators in several states, including Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Assam, West Bengal, and Maharashtra.
Since October 2023, the Aadhaar card has been mandated for obtaining birth and death certificates. Upon submission of the deceased’s Aadhaar card for the death certificate, the information is forwarded to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), leading to deactivation of the Aadhaar card and removal of the deceased’s name from all records.
The Bhaskar report reveals that Babu Mian and Munna facilitated Bangladeshi infiltrators with identity-related documents, including educational certificates like mark sheets and degrees, enabling Rohingyas to settle anywhere in India. However, they cautioned against using the documents for employment purposes.
Accused Shahabuddin Hossain collaborated with government officials to acquire data on deceased individuals. Babu Mian and Munna then utilized this information, including Aadhaar numbers, to update the records of infiltrators of similar ages, subsequently altering addresses. Following this, ration cards, PAN cards, and other documents were procured using the same Aadhaar card.
It is noteworthy that the influx of illegal immigrants into India from Bangladesh continues unabated. Recent reports indicate that Bangladeshi nationals enter India by paying a mere Rs 15,000 and subsequently employ fraudulent documentation to change their identities before settling and engaging in business activities. In one instance in Rajasthan’s Ajmer, the police apprehended a Bangladeshi brother and sister who had illegally entered India by paying Rs 15,000 to an agent.
On January 30th, three Rohingya men were sentenced to ten years of rigorous imprisonment for trafficking two Rohingya women from Bangladesh to Nuh, Haryana, in 2021, and subjecting them to rape. The convicted individuals, identified as Mohammad Ayas, Hafeez Ahmed, and Mohammad Yunus, were apprehended by the Nuh police. The two women, in their early 20s, had illegally entered India from Bangladesh, paying Rs 25,000 to a trafficker.
