Navi Mumbai: Illegal Bangladeshi Nationals Detained in Panvel; Fake Passports and Birth Certificates Seized

Navi Mumbai: The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested six individuals, including five Bangladeshi nationals, for allegedly entering India without valid passports and visas. Another individual was arrested for aiding them in acquiring forged Indian documents, including birth certificates and passports, from Karnataka.

According to the AHTU, the arrests followed a raid conducted in Panvel on May 5, 2025, during which two men and three women from Bangladesh were taken into custody. They were found residing illegally in the country without proper documentation. The accused have been booked under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1950 (Sections 3(a) and 6(a)); the Foreigners Act, 1946 (Section 14(a)); and various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, and 340(2)). The case is currently under investigation by the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch.

During the investigation, police identified Mohammad Ismail Aminnoddin Yerulkar, a 52-year-old retired resident of Karanjade, Panvel, as a key accomplice. He allegedly facilitated the procurement of forged Indian passports and birth certificates for the Bangladeshi nationals through a contact named Ismail Sheikh in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. Acting swiftly, a police team led by Sub-Inspector Deshmukh was dispatched to Kalaburagi, where they detained Ismail Shabbir Miya Sheikh. During interrogation, Sheikh confessed to forging birth certificates to assist in passport applications. He was arrested on May 7, 2025.

Further inquiry revealed that one of the arrested Bangladeshi women had relatives residing in India. Based on this lead, police located her mother and younger brother in Mira-Bhayandar, Thane. A team led by Sub-Inspector Patil detained her brother, identified as Rahul alias Mikail Ismail Ghazi, and her mother, Sufiya Begum Ismail Ghazi, from Kharegaon, Bhayandar East. Upon questioning, it was confirmed that the duo originated from Ghazipur, Benapole, in the Jessore district of Bangladesh.

Authorities also discovered that Sufiya Begum was previously booked in 2012 by the Special Branch, I Batch, Mumbai. A non-bailable warrant had been issued against her by the court. The Special Branch has been notified for further action. Rahul alias Mikail Ismail Ghazi was arrested on May 11, 2025.

All the accused were initially remanded to police custody until May 13, 2025. Upon expiration of the remand period, the court ordered them into judicial custody.

The Navi Mumbai Police have issued a strong appeal to the public, urging landlords and employers to verify the credentials of tenants and workers. They warned that anyone found renting property to or employing Bangladeshi nationals without verification will face strict action under Section 14(c) of the Foreigners Act and Section 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939. Such individuals will also be treated as co-accused in related cases.