Bangladeshi Model Arrested in Kolkata with Fake Aadhaar & Indian IDs—Shocking Passport Scam Busted On 31st July

A Bangladeshi model has been arrested in Kolkata for possessing fake Aadhaar, PAN, and other Indian documents. Officials uncover passport fraud ring linked to cross-border identity theft. Here’s what we know so far

The anti-rowdy squad of Kolkata Police arrested a Bangladeshi woman on Tuesday for illegally residing in India. The accused has been identified as Shanta Pal (28), a resident of Barisal in Bangladesh. She was arrested from her rented apartment in the Jadavpur area. Two Aadhaar cards, a voter card and a ration card have also been recovered from her.

“Based on a specific complaint, we registered this case and during the course of the investigation we have arrested a woman who is a Bangladeshi citizen. She is in police custody now. Investigation is underway,” said Rupesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner (Crime) of Kolkata Police to India Today.

According to the police, during the prolonged search at her rented place, several Bangladeshi passports issued in her name, an employee card of Regent Airways (Bangladesh), an admit card of secondary education in Dhaka, two Aadhar cards registered in different addresses, an Indian voter/Epic card and Ration card, all of different addresses were found and seized.

According to police, the woman rented the house in late 2024 along with a man.

The woman was produced before a city court on Wednesday and has been sent to police custody till August 8.

During the interrogation, Shanta Paul could not give any satisfactory answer to the police, following which she was arrested. She couldn’t produce any valid visa for her stay in India and is presently being questioned about how she managed to get hold of the Aadhaar, Voter and Ration cards. Out of the two Aadhaar cards recovered from her possession, one has a Kolkata address while the other has a Burdwan address.

Kolkata police are currently communicating with the UIDAI to enquire how an Aadhaar card was approved her. The detectives are also communicating with the National Election Commission and the Food Department of West Bengal to enquire about how she got the voter card and the ration card.

According to sources, the accused worked as an actress in Bangladesh. She also worked as an anchor on several TV channels and shows in Bangladesh and reportedly participated in multiple beauty contests there.

In a dramatic cross-border crackdown, West Bengal Police have arrested a 26-year-old Bangladeshi model in Kolkata for possessing forged Indian identification documents, including a fake Aadhaar card, PAN card, and voter ID. The arrest has exposed a major identity fraud racket operating across the India-Bangladesh border.

The accused, identified as Nadia Islam, is reportedly a professional fashion model and social media influencer in Bangladesh with over 185,000 Instagram followers. She had been staying in India for the past 6 months and was allegedly attempting to acquire an Indian passport using fraudulent documents.

📌 Recovered from the Model:

Fake Aadhaar card

Counterfeit PAN card

Forged Indian voter ID

Application forms for Indian passport

Smartphone with digital versions of forged IDs

The arrest took place in the Beleghata area of North Kolkata, following a tip-off from central intelligence agencies.

West Bengal’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is now handling the case, suspecting that Nadia may be part of a larger passport forgery network that helps foreign nationals gain access to Indian documents for travel and residency.

“This is not an isolated incident. Several similar cases are under investigation. We suspect a cross-border racket involving agents operating from both India and Bangladesh,” said a senior CID officer.

The model reportedly used false residential documents and utility bills to support her application. Initial findings show that at least three forged documents were verified and accepted at different administrative offices before her application was flagged.

This incident marks the fourth such arrest in West Bengal in just 3 months, indicating a rising trend of illegal document acquisition by foreign nationals, especially from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

4+ similar arrests since May 2025

18+ forged IDs recovered from foreign nationals this year in West Bengal alone

3 fake Indian passports seized during CID raids last month

The case has sparked political and public outcry in West Bengal, with demands for stricter border and documentation checks.

BJP leaders in the state accused the ruling TMC of “allowing infiltration and document fraud to flourish under poor governance.”

“This is national security at risk. If anyone can get an Indian passport this easily, imagine what terrorists could do,” said a state BJP spokesperson.

TMC leaders, however, have claimed they are cooperating fully with central agencies and taking action against corrupt local officials involved in the document approval process.

Nadia Islam has been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Foreigners Act, including:

Section 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating)

Section 471 (Using as genuine a forged document)

Section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property)

Section 14 of the Foreigners Act (Illegal stay in India)

If convicted, she could face up to 7 years in prison and immediate deportation upon completion of her sentence.

Bangladeshi Model Arrested in Kolkata with Fake Aadhaar & Indian IDs—Shocking Passport Scam Busted On 31st July