Bangladeshi man held near Fort William with fake Aadhaar, espionage suspected

A Bangladeshi national was arrested near Fort William, the Eastern Command Headquarters of the Indian Army in Kolkata, on suspicion of unauthorized presence and possessing forged identity documents. The man, identified as Azim Sheikh, was detained in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Kolkata Police after he was seen moving suspiciously near the military establishment’s main gate.

According to officials, Azim Sheikh is a resident of Khulna district in Bangladesh. He allegedly entered India illegally several years ago and had been residing in an apartment in Kolkata's Garden Reach area along with individuals he claimed to be his relatives. His repeated presence near Fort William in recent days led to surveillance by military personnel, who later detained him for questioning.

During the interrogation, officials discovered that Azim carried two Aadhaar cards, each bearing different dates of birth and identity details. One of the Aadhaar cards mentioned a woman as his mother, but her listed birth year indicated only a six-year age gap with Azim, raising concerns about the authenticity of the document. Both Aadhaar cards have been deemed forged.

Based on the findings, Army intelligence handed Azim over to Hastings Police Station, where he is currently in custody. Police have initiated an investigation to determine the reason for his presence near the sensitive military zone and are examining whether there are any larger links or coordinated efforts behind his actions. His movement patterns, identification documents, and local connections are under scrutiny.

Authorities have stated that the case is being investigated from all angles, including possible violations of national security laws and immigration violations. The police and intelligence units are jointly verifying how he entered India, who assisted him, and whether he had any access to restricted areas around the Eastern Command premises.