BHUBANESWAR: The sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) court, Bhubaneswar on Tuesday sentenced nine Bangladeshi infiltrators including three women to two years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for entering India secretly without valid travel documents.
SDJM Amit Kumar convicted MD Hasim (46), Sajib Khan (24), Allam Shaika (41), Md Azeem (40), Dilara Seikh (45), Md Soha Talukdar (36), Karima Begum (25), Morina Begum (30) and Sahana Begum (45) under section 14 of Foreigners Act, 1946 and pronounced the verdict. The nine were also fined `10,000 and an additional jail term of three months if they failed to pay the sum.
The verdict was pronounced basing on the evidence presented by the prosecution, including testimonies of six witnesses and supporting documentary proof. The court also observed that the conduct of the convicts is a great threat to the safety and internal security of the country.
One more Bangladeshi national, a 14-year-old boy, was sent to the juvenile justice board for trial. He is now in Berhampur juvenile short stay home, said special public prosecutor Rashmi Ranjan Brahma.
Police said Bangladeshi nationals had been traced by the Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch during a raid at the Bhubaneswar railway station on March 8 last year. On being questioned, they failed to produce passport, visa or any other valid travel document and tried to escape from the place.
They later confessed that they had secretly entered India without any travel document and came to Bhubaneswar to reside here by suppressing their real identity. They had come through a jungle area of Assam during night and travelled to Odisha by train, police said.
The STF had filed charge sheet against them under section 14 of Foreigners Act 1946.