Bhubaneswar Court Sentences Nine Bangladeshis for Illegal Entry

A Bhubaneswar court has sentenced nine Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, to two years of rigorous imprisonment for illegally entering India. The Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on each, with additional jail time for default, announced Special Prosecutor Rashmiranjan Brahma.

The accused were charged under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946, which deals with penalties for unauthorized entry and overstaying visas. Police officials highlighted the importance of this provision in managing unauthorized entries in India.

The group was apprehended at Bhubaneswar railway station on March 8, 2025, where they failed to produce valid travel documents. Initially evasive, the accused later confessed to entering India through Assam's jungles without documentation. A subsequent investigation led to charges being filed on May 5, 2025.