'Illegal immigration racket': 2 Bangladeshis among 4 held in India

Delhi Police today said they have uncovered a large-scale illegal immigration racket and arrested four people, including two Bangladeshi nationals who allegedly entered India illegally.

The two other arrestees are Indian nationals Aminur Islam and Ashish Mehra. They are accused of facilitating the Bangladeshi nationals' unlawful immigration and document fabrication, Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Sanjay Kumar Jain told reporters.

Two apprehended Bangladeshi nationals were identified as Bilal Hosen, 28, and his wife Sapna, 23.

Jain said the immigration racket involved handlers in Bangladesh and India who handled transportation of the illegal trespassers and helped them forge fake documents for their stay in India.

Police have seized fake Aadhaar and Permanent Account Number cards, Indian passport applications, and other documents from the accused.

Police said they have also discovered a "donkey route" via Meghalaya and Assam bordering Bangladesh. The two Bangladeshis used the route to enter India.

According to Jain, the investigation revealed that a well-organised network facilitated the illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals into India.

The immigrants, guided by the Bangladeshi handlers, crossed the border between Durgapur in Bangladesh and Baghmara in Meghalaya on foot.

"The Indian handlers then transported them to Krishnai and New Bongaigaon railway stations in Assam before they continued their journey to metropolitan cities like Kolkata and Delhi," the joint CP said.

Police said the immigrants used buses, trains using forged documents to evade detection. Key facilitators provided logistical support, including transportation, fake IDs, and SIM cards. The arrested individuals confessed to charging between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000 per Aadhaar card, Jain said.

Police said Bilal Hosen, 28, entered India via the Meghalaya-Assam border in 2022 and settled in Delhi with his wife. He used to run a cosmetic shop and beauty parlour in Gurugram, near Delhi. He allegedly acquired fake Aadhaar and PAN cards to live in India.

Bilal's wife previously worked in a garment factory in Bangladesh. She crossed the border with Bilal and forged documents to settle in the country.

Assam resident Aminur Islam, Jain said, allegedly used to facilitate the transportation of illegal immigrants from the border to railway stations. He would allegedly collaborate with Bangladeshi accomplices and provide transportation and fake documents, police said.

Gurugram resident Ashish Mehra, 23, is accused of fabricating Aadhaar cards using other fake documents. Mehra worked with an authorised Aadhaar operator and charged fees for the work.