Indian citizenship sold for ₹10,000 to Nepal and Bangladeshi nationals in Bengal!

With the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) now in effect across India, a concerning development has emerged in Siliguri, West Bengal. An underground trade is allegedly selling Indian citizenship documents, including Aadhaar and PAN cards, for ₹10,000. This trade is reportedly enabling Nepalese and Bangladeshi citizens to assume Indian identities illegally, using counterfeit Aadhaar cards to obtain further identification like voter IDs.

In response to a tip from Military Intelligence, police apprehended a key suspect, Sanjay Sarkar, believed to be a central figure in this illicit operation. Sarkar was brought before the Siliguri Court on charges of forgery and fraud, where his bail application was denied. He has been remanded to police custody for five days, allowing investigators time to identify and locate other members of the network. According to sources, Sarkar reportedly manufactured Aadhaar cards for Nepalese individuals in exchange for ₹10,000 each.

This activity is especially prevalent in the Phansidewa region near Siliguri, which shares a border with Bangladesh. Officials suspect that numerous Bangladeshis and Nepalese nationals are benefiting from dual citizenship in this area, potentially undermining the integrity of India’s citizenship system. Local law enforcement previously detained Bangladeshis found in possession of fraudulent Indian Aadhaar cards, underlining the scope of the operation.

SDPO Naxalbari Neha Jain confirmed the ongoing investigation, stating that charges of forgery and fraud have been filed against Sarkar. In the raid on his establishment, authorities confiscated two computers, four fake Aadhaar cards, mobile phones, and various other documents, all of which are now being scrutinized for further leads. While fake passport production is under investigation, no evidence of this practice has yet been uncovered.

The police are intensifying efforts to dismantle this network and address the larger issue of illegal citizenship documentation. With CAA in effect, the government's attention to these border-region scams has sharpened, as they threaten to compromise the legitimacy of the Act’s implementation and enforcement.