New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate Wednesday said it has arrested a Bangladeshi national in Kolkata under the anti-money laundering law for his role in preparing illegal Indian passports and Aadhaar cards for citizens of his country.
Ajad Mallik alias Ahammed Hossain Azad was taken into custody Tuesday following searches at seven premises in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Kolkata sent Mallik to 13-day ED custody the same day, the federal probe agency said in the statement.
A number of incriminating documents, digital devices and cash amounting to Rs 13.45 lakh were seized by the ED during the searches against Mallik, the statement said.
The money laundering case stems from a local police FIR against Mallik, who was booked under the Foreigners Act of 1946 for residing in India without valid documents and for his involvement in making Indian passports and other documents through fraudulent means for illegal immigrants in lieu of money.
The agency said a number of bank accounts were being maintained in the name of Mallik and his proprietorship firm — Mallik Trading Corporation.
He was involved in the business of arranging fraudulently obtained identity documents like Voter ID card, passport, Aadhaar card, etc., for Bangladeshi nationals, the statement said.
The accused generated proceeds of crime, and substantial cash was deposited in the accounts between 2018 and 2024, it said.
The ED said its probe found that Mallik’s family, comprising his wife Maymuna Akhter and two sons, Osama Bin Azad and Omar Faruk, were Bangladeshi citizens and lived in the neighbouring country.
India shares a 4,096 km-long international border with Bangladesh.
Mallik frequently visited Bangladesh to meet his family, the ED statement said.
The ED also alleged that Mallik was involved in hawala transactions and siphoned off funds received by him instead of arranging Indian government-issued ID proofs for Bangladeshi nationals.
He was also providing unauthorised currency exchange services to various individuals, the agency said.
PTI
