Maharashtra: Pune ATS arrests 21 Bangladeshi nationals with fake documents; 10 accused sent to police custody

Police have arrested 21 Bangladeshi nationals for allegedly illegally residing in the Ranjangaon area, according to Pune police officials.

The accused, including 15 men, 4 women, and 2 transgender individuals, were allegedly residing in the Ranjangaon area with fake documents, including Aadhar cards and PAN cards.

The court has granted police custody of 10 individuals in the case, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Deshmukh. Following a tip-off received by Assistant Police Inspector Prakash Pawar of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on October 21, a search operation was conducted by a team led by Crime Branch Police Inspector Avinash Shilimkar and Ranjangain MIDCPolice Inspector Mahadev Waghmode. SP Pankaj Deshmukh said on Tuesday that investigations are currently ongoing to understand the motive regarding their stay in the country.

“In Ranjangaon MIDC Police Station, we registered an offence in which certain Bangladeshi nationals were inquired into. Upon inquiry, we realised that they had been staying illegally in Ranjangaon area. We are ascertaining that what is their motive of stay in this country. Many of them are indulging in labour activity and they are getting paid on a daily wages basis. So, this is too preliminary to comment on what is their exact status. But in 2-3 days of investigation, we will be in a position to ascertain that what was their motive of staying in this country,” SP Deshmukh told ANI.

The police seized nine fake Aadhar cards, PAN cards, and one voter identification card. The SP further said that they are investigating the possibility that an agent is bringing Bangladeshi nationals into India illegally.
“We are investigating that aspect as well whether there is an organised racket or an agent who is bringing in Bangladeshi nationals into our country,” he said.

A case has been registered under sections 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Indian Passport Act 1920. Further investigations into the case are ongoing.

(With inputs from ANI)