A day after a Bangladeshi national was caught staying illegally in Shela, evidence unearthed in the initial investigation into the case has given rise to several questions, including a severe security breach in the system.
After Shirina Aktar’s arrest, verification of her documents showed that Shirina’s Aadhar card details were available in the database of ‘UIDAI’ (Unique Identification Authority of India), police officials associated with the case said. Shirina had two Aadhar cards, the first one made in Hyderabad. The card mentions her name as ‘Gutta Sonu Bishwas’ with the Hyderabad address, whereas the second Aadhar card mentions her name as ‘Sonu Hiteshbhai Joshi’ with an Ahmedabad address. Both Aadhar cards had the same number, only names have been changed.
This raises some serious questions on the alleged security breach that whenever a foreign national comes into the country then their biometric data which includes the thumb impression and iris scan is done at the airport. And similarly if one acquires an Aadhar card, biometric data is supposed to be given. Though she had a Bangladesh passport, Shirina acquired an Indian passport and also travelled last year to Bangladesh on it.
Ahmedabad rural cops have written to the regional passport office (RPO) and the UIDAI for details regarding the documents submitted to acquire the passport and Aadhar card. The cops have also approached the private hospital in Bopal where Shirina gave birth to her daughter for papers submitted there.
Family believes Shirina is from Hyderabad
Hitesh Joshi before his death had told his family members that he is in a live-in relationship with Shirina alias Sonu and Joshi’s family members till now believed that Shirina is from Hyderabad. While cops believe that there is a Hyderabad angle to the case as the Aadhar card was acquired from there, other possibilities have also not been ruled out. Another aspect which intrigues the cops is that Shirina could have easily married Joshi and obtained a long term visa (LTV), but instead she chose to forge her documents.
Shirina told cops that she was earlier married and has a son in Bangladesh. She met Ahmedabad-based Hitesh Joshi in 2017 through Facebook. Joshi was earlier booked by the cops under prohibition and fraud cases. The two fell in love and Shirina came to Ahmedabad where gave birth to a daughter. Shirina and Joshi had started living together