Bangladeshi national held in Bandra nine months after deportation

A 45-year-old Bangladeshi, deported nine months ago, was arrested in Bandra for illegal residency. He had no documents and faces multiple charges.

Mumbai: A 45-year-old Bangladeshi national, deported from India to Bangladesh nine months ago, was found living illegally in Bandra on Saturday. He was apprehended by the police for allegedly residing without any legal documents.

Bangladeshi national held in Bandra nine months after deportation

Constable Santosh Gaikwad of the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) at Bandra police station revealed that the arrest was based on a tip-off about an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh expected to be near the Rangsharda auditorium. Acting on the information, a police team laid a trap near the location.

At around 3:50 pm, a man matching the description approached the auditorium. Upon questioning, he identified himself as Zakir Mehboob Khan, a vegetable vendor living in the Rahul Nagar slums of Bandra West for the past four months. When asked to produce identification or citizenship documents, Khan admitted he had none and confessed to being an illegal immigrant.

Investigations revealed that Khan had been arrested in August 2023 in Mahim for similar offences and deported to Bangladesh on February 3, 2024, with assistance from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Border Security Force (BSF). Despite the deportation, Khan managed to re-enter India by crossing the border illegally.

“We have registered an FIR against Khan under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and forgery, as well as provisions of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, and the Foreigners Act, 1946,” said an officer from Bandra police station.

Further investigations are underway to uncover the circumstances of Khan’s return and any possible accomplices.