In a development raising serious security concerns, Vikhroli Police in Mumbai detained 13 Bangladeshi hawkers for possessing fake Aadhaar cards — all listing addresses from Sahibganj district in Jharkhand. The operation has once again spotlighted how Jharkhand’s border districts are emerging as a major gateway for illegal Bangladeshi migrants entering India using forged documents.

The detainees — identified as Jiyaul Shekh (1980), Aiyub Shekh (1976), Manorul Shekh (1995), Saim Shekh (2003), Naim Shekh (2003), Samoun Shekh (2003), Rafikul Shekh (1988), Jahangir Shekh (2007), Nasima Bibi (1983), Mainuddin Shekh (2000), Bariul Shekh (2003), Halim Shekh (2006), and Kasud Shekh (2004) — were found with Aadhaar cards showing fabricated details. Many of the documents shared common patterns, such as January 1 as the date of birth, raising immediate red flags.

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According to police, Sahibganj’s location along the India-Bangladesh border, combined with porous security and weak document verification systems, has made it a fertile ground for racketeers producing fake Indian identification papers.

BJP leader and former Mumbai MP Kirit Somaiya flagged the issue publicly, posting on his X handle about the growing use of Jharkhand-based fake documents by illegal migrants. He demanded a high-level inquiry and stricter actions against the “network that is playing with India’s internal security.”

“The Sahibganj-Jharkhand connection needs urgent attention. Jharkhand is becoming a base camp for illegal infiltration,” Somaiya wrote, tagging senior government officials and agencies.

This case is part of a worrying pattern, following similar incidents in Ahmedabad and Delhi, where Bangladeshi nationals were arrested with forged Indian documents.

Police sources confirmed that an extended probe has been launched to identify the originators of these fake Aadhaar cards, their facilitators in Jharkhand and Mumbai, and the possible existence of wider human trafficking or illegal settlement networks.

Local leaders and security experts have reiterated the need for robust inter-state coordination, particularly involving Jharkhand’s vulnerable border districts, to curb the growing infiltration threat.

The investigation is ongoing, with more arrests likely as authorities trace the wider network behind this infiltration racket.