KOCHI: Police on Tuesday arrested two more Bangladeshi nationals who were illegally staying in Vennala, Kochi. The arrested persons are Mohammed Baljith, 31 and Muhammad Babu, 36, both hailing from the Khulna district of Bangladesh.
According to police, the duo has been working as junk collectors in Vennala and Palarivattom for the past several years.
The police, following a tip-off, reached their rented house as part of the verification.
Both initially told cops that they were Indian citizens and presented their Aadhar cards. Baljith's Aadhar card was carrying an address in Bengaluru. While Babu's Aadhar card had an address in New Delhi.
However, on suspicion, police checked their mobile phones and found that they were using Bangladeshi mobile phone numbers.
Later, they were shifted to Palarivattom police station.
During the interrogation, the duo admitted that they were from Bangladesh and they arranged documents with the help of agents in West Bengal.
Police registered a case against them under the Foreigners Act and Indian Passport Act.
Both were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.
In the last two weeks alone as many as 10 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested from various parts of Ernakulam district. Following the frequent arrests, police have decided to extend the probe to West Bengal to trace agents who are facilitating illegal border crossing and arranging fake IDs.