BHUBANESWAR: A local court in Bhubaneswar has sentenced nine Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, to two years of rigorous imprisonment for illegally entering and residing in India without valid travel documents. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each convict, with an additional three months of imprisonment in case of default in payment of the fine.
The judgment was delivered by the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court in Bhubaneswar on February 3, after examining the evidence presented by the prosecution, including testimonies from six witnesses and supporting documentary records. The accused were convicted under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
The convicted individuals have been identified as Md Hasim (46), Sajib Khan alias Md Sajib (24), Allam Shaika (41), Md Azeem (40), Dilara Sheikh alias Altaf (45), Md Soha Talukdar (36), Karima Begum (25), Monira Begum (30), and Sahana Begum (45). The group consists of six men and three women from the Bangladeshi districts of Mymensingh, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, and Dhaka.
Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch) Sarthak Sarangi stated that the convicts would be repatriated to Bangladesh after serving their jail terms, in accordance with established legal procedures. He added that the individuals were sentenced under the provisions of the Foreigners Act, which prescribes penalties for illegal entry and residence in India.
According to officials from the Odisha Police’s Special Task Force (STF), the group entered Indian territory with the help of an agent near Assam’s Dhubri district. They reportedly crossed the international border through a forested area at night and later travelled to Odisha by train.
The case dates back to March 8, 2025, when STF personnel intercepted the nine individuals at Bhubaneswar Railway Station while they were travelling aboard the Dibrugarh–Chennai Express. This action was taken following specific intelligence input regarding the movement of undocumented foreign nationals.
During questioning, the accused failed to produce passports, visas, or any other valid travel documents and allegedly attempted to flee. Subsequent interrogation revealed that they had entered India illegally and had been residing in Bhubaneswar. Police also seized seven mobile phones and Bangladeshi currency from their possession.
Inspector Manoj Kumar Sethi of the STF, who investigated the case, stated that a chargesheet was later filed against the accused upon completion of the investigation. He noted that Section 14 of the Foreigners Act allows for a maximum punishment of five years’ imprisonment for such offences.
The conviction occurs amid heightened efforts by Odisha authorities to identify and take action against undocumented foreign nationals in the state. Last year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the state Assembly that more than 3,700 undocumented Bangladeshi nationals had been identified across Odisha during verification drives.
