Human trafficking ring busted: Bangladeshi nationals sent to Gulf countries using fake Indian passports

The police have revealed that this criminal group was responsible for creating counterfeit identity and residential documents

On Monday, the Borivli police arrested four individuals from Pune, consisting of one Indian national and three Bangladeshi nationals, on charges of involvement in a human trafficking ring originating from Bangladesh.

The police have revealed that this criminal group was responsible for creating counterfeit identity and residential documents, facilitating the acquisition of Indian passports for Bangladeshi nationals seeking visas for employment in Gulf countries. In just two years, the gang allegedly dispatched a minimum of 70 Bangladeshi individuals to Gulf countries using Indian passports.

The initial breakthrough in this case occurred on October 20 when the Borivli police arrested 17 Bangladeshi nationals. They were charged with residing in India without valid documents and attempting to obtain identification using forged papers, leading to more information about the human trafficking ring.

Subsequent investigations resulted in the identification and arrest of four individuals, including three Bangladeshi nationals and one Indian citizen. The arrested individuals have been identified as Ganpat Prasad Karpe, 23, Mittu Shaikh, 28, Sujon Sopikar Shaikh, and Mubin Javed Mandal, a doctor by profession.

According to police sources, the mastermind behind the operation is believed to be Rahul Singh, who used the alias Shahrukh Khan. Singh, a Bangladeshi national residing in India under the assumed name Rahul Singh for the past 12 years, collaborated with Ganga Prasad Karpe and Sainath Yeilwad to create fake Aadhar cards, PAN cards, and electricity bills. These documents were then used to obtain Indian passports by altering birth certificates through a website allowing the editing and creation of PDF documents, as revealed by an officer from the Borivli police station.

One of the wanted individuals, Karpe, owns an Aadhar card-making centre located in a shopping complex in Chandan Nagar, Pune (Smart Enterprises).

During a raid in Nalasopara and Virar, Singh was alerted, and he fled with 25 Bangladeshi nationals to Kerala, as noted by the officer.

During their investigation, Borivli police uncovered the operations of Singh, he was responsible for transporting Bangladeshis into India through the border using four-wheelers, often from areas used as cattle feeding patches. Once in Kolkata, Singh ensured they were placed in rented apartments before further transportation to Pune, Virar, and Nalasopara. In these locations, Singh's gang members secluded the individuals in rented apartments, effectively isolating them from the outside world. Singh and his gang reportedly charged Rs 7 lakh per person for their services, including transport to India and the acquisition of passports and visas for Gulf employment.

The police also disclosed that, following the preparation of identity documents, the Pune-based agents, Karpe and Sainath, would approach people who had deceased relatives and request their photos and IDs. These materials were then used to create forged rent agreements and electricity bills for the Bangladeshi nationals to secure passports.

Under the guidance of DCP Zone XI Ajay Kumar Bansal of Zone 11, and with the efforts of senior inspector Ninad Sawant, PI Pradeep Kale, and PSI Pramod Nimbalkar attached to ATC, significant progress has been made in dismantling this illegal migrant network. After the arrest of 21 individuals, including the agents involved, border infiltration into India has been reduced by at least 10 per cent due to our concerted efforts, and illegal immigration into the state of Maharashtra has been completely curtailed, according to Police Inspector Pradeep Kale of the Borivli police station.

The accused have been charged with allegedly deceiving the Indian government and obtaining passports through fraudulent means, he added.