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Journalism of Courage
The Pune city police Tuesday informed a court here that Kamrul Roshan Mandal (28), who is among the alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants recently arrested with Indian ID proofs, was an accused in a bomb blast case at Benapole in Bangladesh. Police said Kamrul has also procured an Indian passport from Pune.
Sources said central agencies are looking into the case and Kamrul’s information is being shared with Bangladesh authorities. “We are confirming the facts that have come to the fore during interrogation. Further action will be taken accordingly,” said deputy commissioner of police (zone 5) Vikrant Deshmukh.
Following inputs received from the Military Intelligence (MI) Unit (Southern Command) of the Indian Army, the Pune city police arrested Kamrul on October 14, along with Nijam Ahimali Shaikh (35), Babu Mohsin Mandal (37) and Sagar Alam Shaikh (23), all alleged to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh. All four were found residing with their families at Devachi Uruli area near Hadapsar.
An FIR was registered against them and seven family members, at the Hadapsar station under relevant sections of the IPC, Indian Passport Act and Foreigners Act.
Police seized cell phones, several Indian ID proofs such as Aadhaar cards, Pan cards, voter ID cards and ration cards from the suspects. Police claimed to have found an image of Kamrul’s Bangladesh passport in his cell phone.
Police said the accused illegally entered India by crossing the international border in West Bengal. Probe is on to know which documents they submitted at the government offices like UIDAI to fraudulently obtain Indian ID proofs in Pune.
On Monday, police arrested Shankar alias Sangram Nekramsingh Pawar (53), native of Uttar Pradesh, currently residing in Mohammadwadi, for his alleged involvement in providing Indian ID proofs to the Bangladeshi migrants. Police seized Bangladesh passports and other material from Pawar. Police inspector Sandip Shivale produced Pawar, Kamrul, Najim, Babu and Sagar Shaikh before the Cantonment court on Tuesday afternoon.
Assistant public prosecutor Anjala Navgire sought seven days police custody of the five accused for detailed investigation into the ‘international racket.’
According to police, Kamrul is a native of Kagoj Pukur village in Benapole in Jessore district of Bangladesh. Police told the court Kamrul was arrested (by the Bangladesh police) for hurling a bomb on a street in Benapole with his aide Tarikul Islam. After being released on bail, he allegedly came to India in 2019.
Police told the court Kamrul procured an Indian passport. He is suspected to have travelled to Bangladesh using an Indian passport. Police communicated with the Regional Passport Office in this regard for further investigation. Police have contacted UIDAI and other government offices to know which documents the alleged Bangladeshi migrants submitted for obtaining Indian ID proofs.
Police said Nijam played a role in bringing Sagar Shaikh and Babu Mosin Mandal from Bangladesh to Pune. Police told the court that Nijam did not have a passport but he entered India illegally and even went back to his native place in Bangladesh twice in the past through an agent identified as ‘Intajul’ operating at the international border. Police claim to have recovered Nijam’s ‘national ID card’ of Bangladesh during probe.
Police are also probing the money sent from India to Bangladesh by the accused. Police told the court Nijam sent money from his bank account to another bank account named “Pushpanjali Studio” in West Bengal through mobile banking, which was further transferred to Bangladesh. Defence lawyer Aslam Sayyed argued further custody of the accused persons was not required stating they are are Indians from West Bengal but have relatives in Bangladesh. Judicial magistrate (first class) D J Patil sent the five accused to police custody till October 23.
Meanwhile, sources said Kamrul told police that he was arrested and jailed for exploding a bomb during a political clash in Bangladesh in 2017. Police suspect he had illegally migrated to India and returned to Bangladesh even prior to this incident. Police said Kamrul and Sagar were now working as drivers on a tempo, Najim worked at a private firm, while Babu was operating a Biryani hotel.
Based on inputs from MI and central agencies, the Pune city police had earlier picked up Kamrul on August 15, 2021, along with six others, including Nijam and Sagar Shaikh, from Hadapsar area for inquiry.
As per the station diary entry at Hadapsar police station on August 15, 2021, the suspects told police they are from Bangladesh and came to India illegally between 1995 and 2011 and later procured Indian ID proofs with the help of local agents.
But the police let the suspects go claiming no evidence was recovered from them to show they are Bangladeshi nationals. The Indian Express was the first to report it. In an unusual manner, the police had then released the seven alleged Bangladeshi migrants to a Pune-based advocate Aslam Sayyed, who took the responsibility of producing them whenever required for inquiry.
