Gujarat HC grants bail to man born of Bangladeshi parents in case of ‘forging Indian passport’
Noting that the applicant had “prima facie established his identity as an Indian citizen”, and that the Indian passport was not stated to be forged, the court granted conditional regular bail to the applicant.
THE GUJARAT High Court (HC) recently granted bail to a man, born to Bangladeshi parents, in a case of cheating by personation and forgery, registered at the Ahmedabad Airport police station, related to the accused holding an Indian passport.
Noting that the applicant had “prima facie established his identity as an Indian citizen”, and that the Indian passport was not stated to be forged, the court granted conditional regular bail to the applicant.
In its recent oral order, the HC noted that the Ahmedabad Airport police station had filed a chargesheet in the case following an FIR against the man, Biplob Haldar, under Sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for cheating by personation, forgery, forgery of a valuable security, using as genuine a forged document or electronic record as well as relevant sections of the Passport Act, 1967 for committing offences related to false information provided to get passport. The accused-applicant has been in custody since May 27, 2025, the court order noted.
The HC’s oral order states, “It would appear in this regard that the applicant held Indian passport, which was not stated to be forged and whereas the allegation further being levelled is that the parents of the applicant were Bangladeshi Nationals and whereas in spite of the same a birth certificate of the present applicant born in India more particularly in Kalyani Municipality had been obtained by the applicant…”
The oral order adds, “Be that as it may, to this court it would appear that as of now, there are certain documents, based upon which the present applicant has prima facie established his identity as Indian Citizen and got a passport issued by the competent authority and whereas considering that the applicant is in custody since May 27, 2025 and the passport itself having been seized by the police authorities, to this court there would no further requirement to keep the present applicant in custody.”
The case of the prosecution is that the applicant, despite being born to Bangladeshi nationals, had obtained a birth certificate stating that he was born in India in the Kalyani Municipality limits. The HC granted bail to the applicant on a bond of Rs 10,000 with one surety of the like amount and with conditions, including that the applicant must “not leave the territory of India without prior permission of the Sessions court concerned”. The applicant has also been directed to mark his presence at the police station concerned once a month for a period of six months.
The oral order also states that the observations of the HC are of “preliminary nature” and that the “trial court shall not be influenced” by the same. The order also states that it “will be open for the court concerned” to delete, modify or relax the conditions put forth by the HC in granting the bail, as per the provisions of law.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
