Bhubaneswar: In a significant judgment, a court in Odisha has sentenced nine Bangladeshi nationals to two years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed monetary fines for illegally entering India and residing in the state without valid documents, officials said on Tuesday.
The verdict was delivered by the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court in Bhubaneswar after the prosecution presented evidence, including testimonies from six witnesses and relevant documentary proof. The court further ruled that each of the convicts would have to undergo an additional three months of imprisonment if they fail to pay the fines imposed.
The nine foreign nationals were arrested on March 8, 2025, by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Odisha Crime Branch during a raid at Bhubaneswar Railway Station. Acting on intelligence inputs about suspected illegal infiltrators using the railway network to travel across states, STF officials launched a targeted operation.
During the raid, officers seized Bangladeshi and Indian currency notes along with several mobile phones from the accused. Investigators stated that the group did not possess valid travel or identity documents permitting their stay in India.