TNN
Bangalore, Mar 23: Rs 1,000. This is the amount these Bangladeshis paid to cross the border with no documents in hand. This and many such shocking facts are being unearthed by the sleuths of CCB’s Anti-Terrorist Cell, who on Friday arrested 16 Bangladeshi nationals near the Bellattur bus stop in the Kadugodi police limits.
While one of them has been charged with circulating counterfeit currency, the other 15, including four women, were booked under the Foreigners Act 1946 for illegal stay.
The arrests follow intelligence reports that several Bangladeshis have entered India illegally and also the arrest of four Bangladeshis in Mumbai and Surat recently. The CCB sleuths nabbed the key accused, Sabu Sheikh (18), native of Nadiyal district in Bangladesh, and recovered 12 fake currencies in the denomination of Rs 1,000. The recovered currencies are suspected to have been printed in Pakistan and the accused had already circulated 38 fake notes of Rs 1,000 denomination in Bangalore and elsewhere.
The arrest of Sabu led the police to catch Mohammed Nasir Talukdar (32), Most Rooban Begum (30), Mohammed Naseer (30), Noor Mohammed Fakhir alias Noor Mohammed (40), Babu Sheikh (18), Rijaul Sheikh (32), Ramjan Sheikh (22), Harshad Sheikh (27), Fhatima (19), Himarul Sheikh (27), Salma alias Ratna (26), Mohammed Piplu Mulla (25), Fhatima Khatum alias Priya Khatum (18), Shoojaan (28), and Bookar Fhaji alias Bookar (28), all from Nadiyal district. They will remain in police custody for 10 days. If charges are proved, they will face imprisonment between three and five years.
“The arrested were residing at Belattur on the city outskirts ever since they sneaked into the country five months ago. The police will probe them for any networking with other illegal immigrants from Bangladesh,’’ joint commissioner of police (crime) Gopal B Hosur told reporters here on Saturday.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested were part of a prostitution ring that operated in West Bengal, Surat and Mumbai. They melted into the Bangalore crowd posing as construction labourers from North India.
Be on toes: cops
Be alert — that’s the advice by the police following the arrest of 16 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from Bangalore fringes. “People who rent their houses must verify the tenants’ origin, occupation and family details. Brokers, too, should take care before introducing strangers,’’ said joint commissioner of police (crime) Gopal B Hosur.