23 May,2026 08:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar Menon
In its order, the court observed that unauthorised foreign nationals cannot claim the same rights as Indians. Representation Pic/iStock
A Mumbai court has convicted a Bangladeshi national for illegally entering India, obtaining forged documents, and securing an Indian passport under a fake identity. The judgment was delivered on May 21, by the court of the additional chief judicial magistrate, 8th Court, Esplanade, presided over by Magistrate KS Zanwar.
The accused, Mohd. Iclaj Molla alias Piklu Dey, was sentenced to seven months and seven days of simple imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 5000 under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Immigration and Foreigner Act, 2025. All sentences will run concurrently.
In its order, the court observed that unauthorised foreign nationals cannot claim the same rights as Indian citizens and warned that illegal entry and forged identities could adversely affect national security and public resources.
According to the latest annual crime data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 4794 foreign nationals were arrested across India in 2024 for alleged involvement in offences under various laws. Bangladeshi nationals accounted for the highest number of arrests at 3091, far exceeding other nationalities. They were followed by Nigerian, Nepali, and Myanmar nationals, at 509, 476, and 245, respectively.
The court observed that under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, the burden of proving citizenship lies upon the accused in such cases. The judgment noted that the accused failed to produce any documentary or oral evidence proving Indian citizenship. The defence also declined to cross-examine prosecution witnesses and did not lead any defence evidence. The prosecution examined two witnesses, including the complainant immigration officer and the investigating officer, PSI Sonali More.
The court directed authorities to initiate deportation proceedings against the accused after completion of his prison term, provided he is not required in any other criminal case. The seized documents are to be destroyed after the appeal period expires. The accused has also been informed of his right to appeal against the conviction.
During the inquiry, authorities allegedly recovered photocopies of Bangladeshi identity documents belonging to the accused and his parents. The documents were reportedly sent to the accused's mobile phone by his family members residing in Bangladesh. Police also seized the boarding pass, Indian passport, and mobile phone before registering an FIR at Sahar police station.
Investigators told the court that the accused confessed to illegally crossing the India-Bangladesh border in 2005 and living in West Bengal without valid authorisation. The prosecution stated that he later procured Indian identity documents and, using those documents, obtained an Indian passport from the Kolkata Passport Authority in 2014. Officials said he subsequently travelled to Kuwait on a work visa and renewed the passport there for nearly a decade.
According to the prosecution, the accused was intercepted on October 14, 2025, at the arrival hall of the Mumbai airport after arriving from Kuwait. Immigration officer Ganesh Madhav Gavli, attached to the FRRO department, noticed suspicious details while checking the passenger's Indian passport, issued in the name of âPiklu Dey'. Officials became suspicious after the passenger failed to satisfactorily answer questions regarding his travel history and citizenship. Further questioning allegedly revealed that the man was actually from Satkhira district in Bangladesh.
