KOCHI: Police have arrested a 26-year-old Bangladesh national who has been staying in North Paravoor illegally for the past four months. Muhammad Simbath Chaudary, of Rajapur, Bangladesh was working as a scrap collector in the North Paravoor area, the police said.
Suspecting him to be a thief, the local residents intercepted Muhammad in front of a hotel near the North Paravoor Boys School around 3.30pm on Wednesday. After being alerted, police officers from the North Paravoor station reached the spot and interrogated him. Initially, he introduced himself as Muhammad Simbath of West Bengal. However, he failed to provide any document to prove his identity.
“On detailed questioning, he admitted that he is a Bangladesh citizen who crossed the border four months back. After crossing the border, he boarded a train and reached Aluva,” said a police officer.
The accused told police that a person named Dasharath Banerjee aka Shine had made the arrangements to help him cross the Indo-Bangladesh border. He came to Ernakulam along with Dasharath and was staying with him.
“Muhammad said when he was residing at Valiyapallamthuruth near North Parvoor, police raided the place and arrested four Bangladeshi nationals, including Dasharath. However, Muhammad managed to escape from the place. After the incident, he used to roam around in the North Paravoor area during day time and sleep in front of shops at night,” the officer said. Muhammad Rafique, Sahin Qasi and Shabana Beeni were the three other Bangladeshi nationals arrested by the police in August.
Muhammad has been charged under the Foreigners Act section 14A, 14(b), 14C and Passport (entry to India) Act sections 4 and 3. He was produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody.
An application would be filed at the court seeking his custody for a detailed probe.