Eight Bangladeshi nationals convicted for illegal stay in India

Thane, Dec 9 (PTI) A court at Kalyan has convicted and sentenced to nine months' rigorous imprisonment eight Bangladeshi nationals for living illegally in different parts of Thane district.

The accused, who pleaded guilty, were liable for punishment but a "humanitarian view" was also required in view of their circumstances, the court noted in the judgement passed in four cases on December 5. The accused were arrested in April 2025.

Additional sessions judge S G Inamdar convicted them under the Immigration and Foreigners Act and the Foreigners Act, 1946. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on each of them.

"As accused have pleaded guilty, they are liable for the punishment as provided under the provisions of law. However...it is necessary to keep in mind that accused, due to poverty, ignorance and illiteracy could not even submit before the court as to how they managed to enter into jurisdiction of Indian territory without any documents. This circumstance requires humanitarian view while awarding the punishment," said the court.

The maximum punishment prescribed for the offences for which the accused were convicted is five years.

Four women, namely, Moyna Gazi Urf Moyna Masjid Sardar (37), Amina Jahangir Gazi (22), Shehnaz Mohammad Ali Sardar (44) and Nargis Mohammad Sardar (32), were arrested from Dombivli, while a woman named Majida Rasul Shaikh (35) was arrested from Kalyan.

Mohammad Shanto Yunus Mulla (30), who worked as a painter and his wife Sumi Mohammad Shanto Mulla (28) who worked at a beauty parlour were also arrested from Kalyan.

Noor Monu Pathan, a labourer, was arrested from Ulhasnagar.

The jail superintendent, in coordination with the investigating officer, shall take necessary steps to deport the accused by following due procedure of law after the completion of their sentence, the court said.

The case against Taukir Mohammad Gulammudin Aalam, an absconding accused, remains pending. PTI COR KRK