BANGALORE, 13 MARCH

The Jigani police have completed the investigation into the arrest of 22 Pakistani nationals residing illegally on the outskirts of Bengaluru. A chargesheet exceeding 1,200 pages has been submitted to the Anekal Judicial Magistrate of the First Class (JMFC) Court, detailing their illegal entry, forged documents and alleged activities.

The prime accused, Rashid Ali Siddiqui, has been confirmed as a Pakistani citizen, with investigators recovering his permanent residence certificate from Pakistan. The other arrested individuals include men, women and a minor girl, all of whom had allegedly entered India illegally.

According to the chargesheet, they travelled from Pakistan to Bangladesh before sneaking into India and later obtained fake Aadhaar cards, birth certificates and even Indian passports.

Acting on a tip-off, Jigani police in September 2024 raided a residence in Apna Aangan Layout near Rajapura village, uncovering their identities. During interrogation, the accused admitted to being from Lahore and claimed to have fled persecution in Pakistan due to their affiliation with the Mehdi Foundation International (MFI). They had been residing in India using Hindu identities while continuing their religious propaganda work through a private channel.

Investigations revealed that their stay in Bengaluru was facilitated by an Indian named Parvez Ahmed alias Fervez, who was arrested near Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna railway station in October.