The Bombay High Court on Thursday (October 22) ordered the Maharashtra Police to take strict action not only against foreign nationals illegally entering Indian borders but also against those Indians, who help such infiltrators settle here by creating unauthorised documents like Aadhar Card, PAN Card and also the Election Card.

A division bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata was hearing a plea filed by the Maharashtra Police seeking a directive to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIADI) to furnish the details of one Bakaar Hasan Shaikh, who is allegedly a Bangladeshi national and has illegally entered India and settled here with Aadhar Card and other identity documents.

"Foreign Nationals infiltrating Indian border have penetrated deep inside our country. By procuring Pan Card, Election ID Card and Aadhar Card from the concerned Authorities by submitting bogus documents, they present themselves as Indian citizens. This is a matter of serious concern and needs to be investigated by the concerned Investigating Agency expeditiously. The persons/co-accused who are helping such Foreign Nationals in infiltrating the Indian border and helping them in settling in our country by helping them further in procuring the Pan Card, Election ID Card and Aadhar Card must also be thoroughly interrogated and if their role is revealed in the said crime, they must be prosecuted for their illegal acts as per the provisions of law and the investigation must be taken to its logical conclusion," the bench observed.

According to the prosecution case, Shaikh along with five other Bangladeshi nationals illegally entered India and have been living at Navi Mumbai's Kamothe area as Indian Citizens as they all even made Aadhar, PAN and Election cards for themselves. They were accordingly arrested. However, during the investigations, the foreigners presented these documents to claim that they were indeed Indians and not Bangladeshi nationals.

The bench noted that the accused persons revealed the names of Mohd. Allauddin @ Master Usman Ansari, Pravin Ananda Patil, Ajay Bhimrao Surve and Vishal Janardhan Shedge, as persons who helped them procure these identity documents.

Therefore, the bench ordered the police not to spare even such persons, who helps the foreign nationals to illegally settle in India. The bench also ordered the UIADI to furnish the requisite documents/information with regards to Shaikh as sought by the police.

Appearance:

Additional Public Prosecutor Prajakta Shinde appeared for the State.

Advocate Supriya Kak represented the UIADI