Continuing with its crackdown on illegal Bangladeshi migrants, the Mumbai police arrested 15 persons last week, one of them possessing an Aadhaar card, a PAN card and a driving licence.

The aim behind introducing the Aadhaar cards, issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), was to prepare a national database of citizens to improve national security.

Following the seeming lapse, the police have written to the authorities concerned suggesting measures to prevent the illegal entry of people.

Sanjay Shintre, deputy commissioner of police, special branch I, said: “We are checking if the accused managed to get the Aadhaar card by submitting fake documents, or if the card is fake. We will

write to the UIDAI suggesting measures for higher level of scrutiny before issuing the card.”

While eight persons were arrested from a hotel at P D’Mello Road in south Mumbai, seven were arrested from a hotel in Navi Mumbai. Those arrested from PD’Mello Road include two Indian contractors who employ illegal immigrants.

An officer requesting anonymity said that most immigrants enter India through the Indo-Bangladesh border, in search of a better lifestyle.

After entering the cities, they seek employment at construction sites and later try getting a fake document made, using which they acquire other documents.

The accused have been arrested under the Indian Passport Act and the Indian Citizenship Act. The special branch had arrested 1,609 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants last year.