Bangladeshi National Convicted for Illegal Stay in India, Admits Paying ₹20,000 for Entry

Thane: A sessions court in Thane convicted a Bangladesh national for illegally entering and residing in India without valid documentation. The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge G.T. Pawar, who found him guilty under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.The accused, Vimal Ranjit Biswas, was arrested on Jan 9 following a tip-off received by Navghar Police Station. Acting on the information, a police team raided two industrial premises in Bhayander (East), Thane, where the accused was found working. Upon questioning, he failed to produce any valid documents proving Indian citizenship. A Bengali-Hindi translator was brought in, and during the inquiry, the accused admitted that he was a Bangladeshi citizen and entered India illegally by paying ₹20,000 to an agent.A case was registered under the Foreigners Act and the Foreigners Order. During the trial, multiple witnesses testified, including the informant, the investigating officer, and the translator. The prosecution argued that the accused failed to provide any evidence proving his legal stay in India, and the court ruled that the burden of proof was on him to establish his status. The accused neither furnished any documents nor contested the allegations with valid proof.The court sentenced him to simple imprisonment for one year, one month, and 24 days, along with a fine of ₹1,000. In case of non-payment of the fine, he would serve an additional two months of imprisonment. Since he already spent his sentence in jail, the court ordered his deportation to Bangladesh. The Navghar Police Station and Jail Authority were directed to coordinate with immigration authorities to facilitate the process and submit a compliance report.
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