A Bangladeshi, identified as Riyaz Abul Sheikh, was detained by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Ahmedabad for allegedly forging Indian identity documents and entering the country illegally. He was arrested on January 15 near Vinzol village during a routine patrol by the SOG team.
Riyaz, aged 27, is a resident of Vivekananda Nagar, Ahmedabad, but originally hails from Suktogram, Kalia district, Bangladesh. During initial questioning, he confessed to crossing the India-Bangladesh border illegally about a year ago with the assistance of an accomplice, Anik Das. Riyaz reportedly acquired fake Indian Aadhaar and PAN cards through fraudulent means, which he used to assume a false identity as an Indian citizen.
The SOG acted on specific intelligence regarding a suspicious individual near the Vinzol railway crossing. Riyaz, who was wearing a blue T-shirt and light blue jeans, was apprehended and confessed to being a Bangladeshi citizen during questioning. He also admitted to having been detained in India in 2019 for similar offences.
During interrogation, Riyaz disclosed that his accomplice, Anik Das, facilitated the acquisition of the forged documents. Using these fraudulent credentials, Riyaz also opened bank accounts in India. He further revealed that he had illegally entered India in 2018 and settled in Ahmedabad, where he worked odd jobs. Despite being detained and deported in 2019, he managed to re-enter India through illegal means.
The SOG has filed a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Passport Act, and the Foreigners Act. Riyaz’s mobile phone and documents have been seized for forensic analysis. Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend Anik Das and others who may have aided him.
The accused has been presented before the court, and further investigations are ongoing to identify additional accomplices and uncover the full extent of the forgery network.