Raipur: Police in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur have detained a man suspected to be a Bangladeshi national during an intensified verification drive aimed at identifying foreigners allegedly staying in the city without valid documents.
The man has been identified as Sheikh Rehan. He was apprehended from Sanjay Nagar under the Tikrapara police station area in Raipur’s West Zone after police received information about his whereabouts.
According to police, Rehan had allegedly evaded an earlier verification campaign launched to identify foreign nationals staying illegally in the capital. Police had been searching for him since then.
Acting on information from an informer that he was hiding in the Sanjay Nagar area, a police team conducted a search operation and detained him.
Police said Rehan had reportedly come to Raipur with his parents around 2000 and had been living in the city for a long period. He was residing in a rented house in Sanjay Nagar and was working as a motor mechanic.
Indian Documents Under Investigation
During the investigation, police reportedly recovered an Indian Aadhaar card and an Indian passport from Rehan. Officials suspect that the documents may have been obtained using fraudulent means.
Authorities are conducting a detailed verification of the documents to establish their authenticity and determine how they were obtained.
According to investigators, Rehan allegedly concealed his identity while living in Raipur. Police said he initially worked in the scrap business before taking up work as a mechanic.
Investigators are also examining claims that he travelled to Bangladesh four to five times using the Indian passport. Police are collecting travel records and other details to determine the circumstances and purpose of these alleged journeys.
ATS Joins Investigation
Given the nature of the case, teams from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and local police are questioning Rehan and examining his background, contacts and activities.
Police are also investigating his alleged links with other persons and attempting to establish whether he received assistance in obtaining Indian identity documents or remaining in the country.
Raipur West Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police Robinson Guria said a person suspected to be a foreign national had been detained under Tikrapara police station limits. He said the police were conducting a detailed investigation into the man’s identity and documents.
The DCP said the suspect had escaped during the earlier verification exercise and was subsequently traced based on information received by the police.
Earlier Arrest of Jamal Karim
The latest detention comes after the arrest of another suspected Bangladeshi national, identified as Jamal Karim, from Sanjay Nagar.
Police alleged that Karim had entered India illegally with his parents in 2013 and subsequently reached Raipur, where he worked in the scrap business. According to police, he later moved to Odisha amid increased police scrutiny in Raipur.
Authorities are also examining his movements and personal connections in Odisha, including his marriage and family-related details, as part of the investigation.
Police said several suspected Bangladeshi nationals have been detained during the ongoing verification campaign. Officials are coordinating with the Union government regarding the legal process for dealing with foreign nationals found to be residing in India without valid documentation.
Verification Drive Across Raipur
The Raipur Police Commissionerate has assigned responsibility for identifying and verifying foreign nationals to the Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police (ADCPs) of its three zones—North, West and Central.
The officers are collecting information about foreign nationals residing within their respective jurisdictions and verifying their identity, citizenship and travel documents.
In Raipur Rural, the responsibility for identifying suspected illegal foreign nationals, detaining them where legally permissible and initiating the required legal process has been assigned to the Additional Superintendent of Police.
Officials said the verification drive is part of a broader state-level exercise to identify foreigners whose immigration status and documentation require scrutiny.
Bijapur Police Also Conducting Probe
Police teams from Bijapur have also reached Raipur in connection with a separate case involving a suspected Bangladeshi national apprehended in the district.
The Bijapur team is investigating the suspect’s contacts and attempting to determine who may have assisted him in entering or staying in India. Police are also examining the network of people who may have been in contact with him.
Authorities are conducting document verification of the foreign nationals detained in different parts of the state.
More Than 100 People Under Scrutiny
According to police sources, the verification process has been expanded across Chhattisgarh, with more than 100 people reportedly under scrutiny in Raipur’s three police commissionerate zones.
The investigation has intensified since 2024, with police conducting wider checks across the state. Officials said several suspected foreign nationals have previously been sent back to Bangladesh following completion of the required procedures.
Police have also intensified scrutiny in other districts, including Durg and Bijapur, where suspected Bangladeshi nationals have recently been detected.
Authorities are coordinating with central agencies and the Union government for further action. Officials said that, depending on the outcome of document verification and other legal requirements, eligible cases will be processed for deportation through the appropriate channels.
The investigation into Sheikh Rehan’s identity, documents, movements and possible contacts is continuing.
