ED Raids in Jharkhand, WB in Illegal Bangladeshi Infiltration Case; Seizes Fake Aadhaars, Passports

ED raided multiple locations in poll-bound Jharkhand apart from West Bengal in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals.

Ranchi:The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday raided multiple locations in poll-bound Jharkhand apart from West Bengal in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals, official sources said. A total of 17 places are being covered in the two neighbouring states by the Ranchi office of the federal probe agency, a day before the first phase of polling in Jharkhand.

Visuals of CRPF personnel positioned outside a hotel located on Bariatu Road in Ranchi and a resort in the city were captured by press teams as ED teams scoured for documents, ledger entries and financial records inside. The agency issued a statement on its official X handle at around 3 pm, saying it has recovered "incriminating" items like fake Aadhaar cards, forged passports, illegal arms, immovable property documents, cash, jewellery, printing paper and machines and blank proformas used for forging Aadhaar during the raids.

Searches are continuing, it said, as the agency attached pictures of these recoveries with the said post. The agency had in September filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe an instance of alleged infiltration and trafficking of some Bangladeshi women into Jharkhand leading to the generation of alleged slush funds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have accused the state government of aiding such infiltration leading to the altering of the demographic landscape of the tribal-dominated areas of Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions during the recent poll campaign. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused the ruling JMM-led coalition of converting Jharkhand into a 'dharmashala' for Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in Seraikela on Monday that a committee would be formed, if BJP is voted to power in Jharkhand, to identify and drive out infiltrators from the state besides reclaiming land grabbed by them. The first phase of the Assembly polls is slated for 43 constituencies on Wednesday, while the second for 38 seats will be held on November 20.

The ECIR (enforcement case information report) filed by the federal agency under various sections of the PMLA stems from a Jharkhand Police FIR filed at the Bariyatu police station in the state capital Ranchi in June. The police FIR, filed on the complaint of a Bangladeshi woman who allegedly infiltrated into the country from along the India-Bangladesh border with the help of touts to find work, has named around six women as accused who were arrested following a raid at a local resort.

The woman who filed the complaint escaped from a similar guest house and reached the police station. Police also recovered a "fake" Aadhaar card from one of these women. Police pressed multiple IPC sections like 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 34 (common intention) in the FIR.

It also slapped section 12 of the Passport Act (knowingly furnishing any false information or suppressing any material information with a view to obtaining a passport or travel document) and 14A of the Foreigners Act (penalty for entry in restricted area) in the complaint. The FIR quoted the woman complainant saying they were trafficked into India from Bangladesh allegedly for prostitution by luring them in the name of getting a job in beauty salons.

ED sources had earlier said the agency will investigate the "entire gamut" of infiltration from across the eastern borders, including Bangladesh, into Jharkhand including in the tribal districts of Santhal Pargana and Kolhan. Prime Minister Modi, while addressing a poll rally a few months ago, accused the Jharkhand government of encouraging Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltration for vote bank politics and criticised it for "rampant corruption".

The prime minister asserted that these infiltrators pose a significant threat to the state by altering the demographic landscape of the Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions. Modi accused the JMM of "supporting infiltrators" and claimed that "illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country have managed to gain influence over the ruling party in the state."

He criticised the Jharkhand government for refusing to acknowledge the infiltration issue despite a high court order to establish an independent panel to investigate the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants. The Union government had informed the Jharkhand High Court that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are living in the state.

Reacting to the affidavit, JMM central spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said if there was infiltration in Jharkhand, the Union home and defence ministries should take responsibility for it.