Who is Shanta Pal, Bangladeshi model-vlogger arrested in Kolkata for posing as Indian?

Shanta Pal, 28, is a food vlogger and model. She also worked as a crew in a Bangladeshi airlines company.

Published on: Aug 1, 2025, 11:25:13 IST

By HT News Desk

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A small-time Bangladeshi model and food vlogger, Shanta Pal, was arrested earlier this week with fake Indian documents, including Aadhaar cards and a ration card. She was using these documents to pose as an Indian and travel to multiple cities in India, Hindustan Times earlier reported.

Shanta Pal was arrested in the Bikramgarh area in south Kolkata in connection with a cheating case. (X)

Model and airline crew

Shanta Pal, 28, was working as a crew member of Regent Airways (Bangladesh) airline company and was also a small-time model in Bangladesh. She entered India a few months ago using a valid passport and started living at a rented accommodation in Kolkata’s Park Street area. From there, she shifted to a rented flat in the southern part of the city's Bikramgarh area and from there got in touch with an agent to secure a fake Aadhaar card and voter ID card.

Arrested in a cheating case

Shanta Pal was arrested in the Bikramgarh area in south Kolkata in connection with a cheating case. According to the Kolkata police, a case under cheating and criminal conspiracy was registered against her. During further investigation, the Kolkata Police seized two Aadhaar cards, along with a voter ID card and a ration card from her.

Also read: Kolkata: 28-year-old Bangladeshi model held in Bikramgarh for cheating, impersonation

Posed as a local

The ID cards seized by the police indicated that Shanta Pal was posing as a local to run a car rental business. Among the two Aadhaar cards, one had an address of East Burdwan district, while the other had Pal's Kolkata address.

Food vlogger

Shanta Pal used to run a food vlogging account on her Facebook and posted videos about her life and related to food. The last video on her account went out on July 28. Talking to PTI, police said that all the posts made on her account were a part of her strategy to prove herself to be an Indian.

Trying to travel to several foreign countries

According to the initial probe by the police, Shanta wanted to travel to several foreign countries but could not do so from Bangladesh. So she came to India to travel to foreign countries using Indian documents. For this, she used the address of her rented room to get a ration card, police officials told PTI.

A social media post exposed a man

While police are trying to find individuals who helped her obtain Indian documents, officials told PTI that her social media showed photographs of her "exposing" a man possessing both an Aadhaar card and an identity proving him to be a Bangladeshi national.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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