Navi Mumbai: Three Illegal Bangladeshi Nationals Arrested in Vashi After 30 Years of Undetected Stay

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) arrested three Bangladeshi nationals from Vashi who had illegally entered India and had been residing in the country for nearly 30 years. The trio had initially managed to evade action by presenting forged Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, passports, voter IDs, ration cards, and driving licenses, along with a birth certificate.

The suspects were first detained on November 24, 2024, in an operation led by Police Inspector Sarita Gude, based on intelligence inputs about illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The arrested individuals were identified as Sharo Abtab Sheikh (48) and Salma Sharo Sheikh (39), residing in Sector 11, Juhugaon, Vashi. During questioning, they produced multiple documents claiming Indian citizenship. As a result, they were initially released.

To verify the authenticity of the submitted documents, a Crime Branch team was dispatched to West Bengal on February 2, 2025. On February 10, 2025, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, South 24 Parganas, confirmed in an official letter that the birth certificates were fake. Additionally, a confidential informant provided a photograph of a Bangladeshi nationality card, revealing that Sharo Sheikh hailed from Satbadeh village, under Kalia police station in Nodail district, Bangladesh.

Following this revelation, Inspector Gude and her team conducted a raid on February 15, 2025, at 4:30 PM and arrested Sharo Abtab Sheikh, his wife Salma Sharo Sheikh, and their 22-year-old son Abdul Rahim Sharo Sheikh, who was born in India.

Investigations revealed that the accused had illegally entered India 30 years ago through the Bonga border, bypassing border patrols and local civil authorities without valid travel documents. Over time, they managed to forge Indian identity papers, including Aadhaar and PAN cards, voter IDs, passports, and ration cards. They even obtained a private loan to purchase a residence in Navi Mumbai under their names.

A case has been registered at Vashi Police Station under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1950 (Sections 3(A) and 6(A)), the Foreigners Act, 1946 (Section 14(A)), and multiple sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 318(4), 336(2), 338, 336(3), and 340(2). The accused were formally arrested on February 16, 2025, and presented before the court, which has granted police custody until February 18, 2025.

The Navi Mumbai Police Commissionerate has issued a strict warning to the public, stating that any individuals found renting houses to or employing illegal Bangladeshi nationals will face legal action under the Foreigners Act, Section 14(C), and the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939 (Section 5). House owners, contractors, business owners, and any individuals aiding illegal foreign nationals will be treated as co-accused in such cases.