Bangladeshi woman held for getting passport using fake docs

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A woman from Bangladesh, who had managed to obtain an Indian passport by furnishing fake government documents, has been arrested by the Byadarahalli police.

The woman, identified as Roni Begum, sneaked into the country through an illegal route nearly 15 years ago and stayed for a short while in Mumbai. She got married to an Indian man and changed her name to Payal Ghosh.

She was caught at the airport in West Bengal while she tried to travel to Dhaka in Bangladesh. The immigration officials grew suspicious and after questioning her, they found that she was from Bangladesh and illegally staying in the country.

The matter was brought to the notice of the Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO) in West Bengal and simultaneously the FRRO in Bengaluru was also informed as she had given Bengaluru address in her passport. The FRRO officials later filed a complaint with the city police.

The woman has been identified as Roni Begum. She is said to have come to India in 2006-07. After reaching Mumbai, she began working in a dance bar.

She then married a Mangaluru- based man, identified as Nithin, and changed her name as Payal Ghosh. The two got married in 2015 in Bengaluru and were staying in Byadarahalli police station limits. After her wedding, she started working as a tailor.

On January 9, the Bengaluru FRRO had filed a complaint with the city police against her under the Passport Act and also for forgery. It is not clear whether the woman was arrested by the West Bengal police after she was caught by the Immigration officials. After realising that the police were after her, she was staying at various districts in Karnataka.

The Byadarahalli police have been checking her details for the last three months. The police had travelled to Maharashtra, Mumbai and also a few districts in Karnataka in search of her.

“The woman was finally caught on Tuesday. After arresting her, the police have thoroughly checked her activities in the city. They are also investigating to ascertain whether she had been involved in any criminal activities. The police are also in the process of questioning all her contacts.