Eight Bangladeshi Women Convicted for Illegal Stay in India, Sentenced to 25 Months in Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai, 15th April 2024: A court in Navi Mumbai convicted eight Bangladeshi women for illegal stay in India and sentenced them to 25 months of rigorous imprisonment. Additional Sessions Judge KR Deshpande at Belapur also fined each of them Rs 11,000.

The Bangladeshi women, employed as laborers, were apprehended in December 2022 from Turbhe in Navi Mumbai for residing without valid documents. Two separate FIRs were filed against them.

In two distinct judgments, Judge Deshpande found the accused guilty of violating Section 14(A) of the Foreigners Act, 1946, and breaching the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, resulting in the 25-month prison term.

Section 14(A) of the Foreigners Act pertains to penalties for entering restricted areas in the country.

The court instructed the prosecution to repatriate the accused individuals, aged between 24 and 44 years, to their home country after serving their sentence, provided they are not needed in any other case.

Additional Public Prosecutor EB Dhamal mentioned that 14 prosecution witnesses testified in the case to substantiate the charges against the accused. Dhamal highlighted that the judge, in the rulings, confirmed that the prosecution had proven all allegations against the accused individuals beyond reasonable doubt.