Kolkata, Sep 25 (IANS): A growing tendency among house-owners in the border districts of West Bengal to rent out accommodation to Bangladeshi nationals without properly checking their documents relating to their legal arrival to India is keeping the state police worried.

State police officer admit that often the house-owners are renting out their places without seeking proper documents out of ignorance in the matter.

“The house-owners are not just supposed to get photocopies of the identity and legal arrival documents of foreign origin tenants, but also submit the same to the local police station. Any failure can attract punishment for the house-owner and the tenant in case there is foul-play behind the the latter's arrival to India. However, many house-owners are not aware of the consequences," said a state police officer.

The development has come to the notice of the state police following the recent arrest of a house-owner named Mukul Sheik, a resident of Baxipur bordering Bangladesh in Nadia district, who rented out a room to a Bangladeshi citizen named Shahin Khan.

It was revealed that the latter entered India illegally through the international border point at Chapra in Nadia district without proper documents.

Yet, Sheikh rented out a room to him without seeking or getting photocopies of his documents. Both are currently in police custody.

The officer said that even after the house-owner rents out room to a person of foreign origin after making photocopies of his documents, they should be submitted to the local police station.

“Often it is found that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants enter India using forged documents, which is impossible for a layman to understand. So the submission of these documents to the local police station is a must,” he added.