Authorities in West Bengal have launched a comprehensive crackdown on foreign nationals—primarily Bangladeshi citizens—who have allegedly enrolled in the state’s voters’ list using forged documents. Police sources confirm that investigators have identified specific individuals whose Indian identity credentials, including Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), Aadhaar cards, and even Indian passports, were fraudulently obtained.
At the center of this operation is key accused, Azad Mullick, recently arrested in Kolkata by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Though a Pakistani national by origin, Mullick reportedly first secured Bangladeshi citizenship through fraudulent means and then acquired Indian citizenship by presenting falsified documents.
Investigations reveal that Mullick was registered as a voter in the Dum Dum-Uttar Assembly constituency, located in the North 24 Parganas district—one of the seven constituencies under the Dum Dum Lok Sabha seat. Records show that he cast votes in both the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election and the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Further probes indicate that Mullick is not an isolated case. Officials have uncovered that several other foreign nationals followed a similar path—securing Indian identity through forged documents and subsequently casting votes in elections. The intent, investigators believe, was to establish a false record of Indian citizenship via participation in the democratic process.
The investigation has also exposed an organized racket involving local agents operating across hospitals, village panchayats, and municipal offices. These agents specialize in producing fake birth certificates for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Another parallel network, embedded within the offices of the state’s Food and Civil Supplies Department, allegedly provides fake ration cards to these infiltrators.
According to police, these fraudulent birth certificates and ration cards are foundational. They serve as the base documents to manufacture more authoritative Indian identity proofs such as EPICs, Aadhaar cards, and PAN cards. Eventually, these are used to obtain Indian passports—completing the process of illegal identity conversion.
Police have identified a distinct pattern in the operation of these illegal document rackets. It begins with foreign nationals crossing into India—often through land or coastal routes along the Bangladesh border. Once inside Indian territory, they connect with local agents who, for a substantial fee, help them secure shelter in villages near the border.
From there, the agents facilitate the production of fake birth certificates and ration cards. These documents pave the way for obtaining an Aadhaar card, EPIC, PAN card, and finally, a fake Indian passport. Once armed with these credentials, the infiltrators not only live in India illegally but also participate in the democratic process as if they were legitimate citizens.
Authorities are continuing to track down the individuals involved in this network and are working to dismantle the entire infrastructure of agents and officials enabling these operations. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full scale of the voter list fraud and identity forgery racket, which poses serious threats to national security and electoral integrity.
