The Mumbai-based network has been facilitating illegal entry, identity forgery, and banking fraud by Bangladeshi nationals
SHILLONG, April 20: In a breakthrough investigation led by IPS probationer Ashu Pant, Meghalaya Police uncovered a major criminal network facilitating the illegal entry, identity forgery, and banking fraud by Bangladeshi nationals operating across India.
The operation began on February 14, when the police received credible inputs about a group of suspected Bangladeshi nationals travelling from Guwahati to Shillong. Acting swiftly, a checkpoint was set up in Nongpoh where five suspicious passengers — four adults and a child — were intercepted and detained.
The five presented Aadhaar and PAN cards, but an interrogation revealed their Bangladeshi identities. The interrogators found out that they entered India illegally two months ago with the help of an elaborate smuggling network, travelled as far as Mumbai seeking work before trying to return to Bangladesh via Meghalaya.
The Ri-Bhoi Police said the accused confessed to obtaining Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar and PAN cards, through one Shaikh Mohd Mujib based in Mumbai’s Sewri area.
Mujib is alleged to be a key facilitator, arranging forged documents using fake address proofs and enlisting middlemen to move illegal immigrants through border towns to cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Further investigation unearthed a criminal racket in Mumbai involving Nusrat A Kazi and Jabir Yunus Shaikh, who exploited the fake identities to open bank accounts in the immigrants’ names. These accounts were then allegedly used for loan frauds and cybercrimes, including being sold to cybercriminals for financial scams.
Following this discovery, a special investigation team from Meghalaya, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Ashu Pant and guided by Ri-Bhoi’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Vivekanand Singh Rathore, proceeded to Mumbai.
The team, with critical support from the Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai, Milind Bharambe, and operational backing from the Mumbai Police, executed a series of week-long raids across Navi Mumbai and South Bombay.
In a multi-location crackdown, Kazi and Yunus Shaikh were apprehended from Koparkhairane and Ulwe, respectively, while Mujib was arrested from Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg in South Mumbai.
Raids led to the seizure of forged documents, incriminating digital evidence, and tools used for fabricating IDs.
All accused have been brought to Meghalaya on transit remand for further investigation.
According to the police, this case is not an isolated incident as it reflects a well-oiled network of illegal migration, document forgery, and financial crime with serious implications for national security.
With India’s porous and difficult-to-monitor borders with Bangladesh, especially in states like Meghalaya, and increasing internal political instability in Bangladesh, the threat posed by such infiltrations has grown significantly.
Authorities fear that thousands of such illegal immigrants may have acquired Indian documents and are being misused for various financial crimes, calling for heightened vigilance from intelligence agencies and law enforcement across states.
The case also highlighted the urgent need for diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh, border infrastructure enhancement, and proactive policy measures to prevent such systemic breaches.