In a major breakthrough, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested two individuals on Wednesday, exposing a vast network of illegal immigration and document forgery that enabled Bangladeshi nationals to fraudulently acquire Indian identity documents. The crackdown has led to multiple arrests, the deportation of illegal immigrants, and the seizure of forged documents in a high-stakes operation that spans across several states and involves the misuse of political credentials.&nbsp;
The probe began with the arrest of Lalla Bihari, who had constructed unauthorised buildings near Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad and rented them out to Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally.&nbsp;
Authorities said Bihari had transformed the area into a &ldquo;mini Bangladesh,&rdquo; aiding residents in forging documents such as Aadhaar cards and voter IDs to legitimize their stay. His son was also detained during the operation.
Investigators found that official letterheads belonging to Congress leaders &mdash; including Shehzad Khan Pathan (Leader of Opposition in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation), corporator Geeta Solanki, and former corporator Kamruddin &mdash; were used to fabricate identity papers.&nbsp;
A key arrest in the case was that of Rana Sarkar, also known as Mohammad Didarul Alam, a Bangladeshi national living in Narol, Ahmedabad. Sarkar, who ran a mobile and money transfer shop beneath his residence, was arrested on May 12.&nbsp;
During the raid, ATS officials recovered a cache of forged documents &mdash; including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and election cards &mdash; along with Sarkar&rsquo;s Indian passport, e-Shram card, bank passbook, and a Bangladeshi National ID card.
Sarkar admitted to creating fake identity documents using a Congress corporator&rsquo;s letterhead. He disclosed that Robiul Islam, currently absconding and believed to be hiding in South Korea, had introduced 13 to 14 Bangladeshi nationals to him for document forgery. These documents were subsequently used to apply for Indian passports.
Further investigation led the ATS to Al Quraish Enterprise, a document services office in Narol run by Soeb Mohammad Qureshi, originally from Rajasthan.&nbsp;
A raid at his premises yielded 22 forged certificate copies, over 300 digital templates for counterfeit documents, as well as fake PAN cards and birth certificates.&nbsp;
Officials revealed that Qureshi had helped at least 17 Bangladeshi nationals acquire Indian passports, with applications for nine more underway.
According to the ATS, &ldquo;The passports made using forged documents are not only fraudulent but can also pose serious threats related to terrorism, espionage, smuggling, illegal immigration, and other security risks. These actions directly affect India&rsquo;s national security, sovereignty, and public safety.&rdquo;
The investigation revealed that Sarkar had illegally entered India in 2012 through Dinhata in West Bengal and eventually settled in Ahmedabad by 2015. He secured an Indian passport in 2017 and began producing forged documents the following year.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat ATS registered at the ATS police station under Sections 336(2), 337, 338, and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS); Sections 12(1)(b) and 12(2) of the Passport Act; and Sections 14(a)(b) and 14(c) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.
Parallel investigations by the Crime Branch led to the arrest of two more Bangladeshi nationals who had been living illegally in Narol for 12 years with fake Indian passports. Another arrest included Zharna Akhtar Sheikh, alias Joya, who had entered India in 2014 and obtained a forged Aadhaar card, election card, and birth certificate.&nbsp;
She later secured an Indian passport and used it for multiple international trips, including employment in Saudi Arabia. Her husband, a resident of Juhapura, reportedly discovered her real identity only during the ongoing investigation.
In a statement, the Gujarat ATS emphasized the government's zero-tolerance stance: &ldquo;The Government of India and the Government of Gujarat, in view of the prevailing circumstances, have directed strict legal action against illegal immigrants residing in the country and those aiding them.&rdquo;
With over 500 suspicious passport cases under review, more arrests are anticipated as the investigation into the illegal immigration nexus continues.
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ATS uncovers major immigration racket in Ahmedabad, arresting key suspects linked to forged documents.

Gujarat ATS Nabs 2 in Passport Forgery Case

ATS uncovers major immigration racket in Ahmedabad, arresting key suspects linked to forged documents.

May 14, 2025 | 18:43 IST