The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has exposed a sophisticated racket involved in fraudulently obtaining Indian identity documents for Bangladeshi nationals operating in West Bengal. In a significant development, the agency filed its first supplementary chargesheet before a special PMLA court in Kolkata on December 11, 2025, naming key accused including a Pakistani national and his Indian accomplice.
The Masterminds and the Modus Operandi
The chargesheet targets Pakistan national Azad Hussain, who used aliases like Azad Mallik and Ahammed Hossain Azad, and his Indian associate, Indubhushan Haldar alias Dullal. The ED probe, initiated from an FIR against Hussain, revealed he was living in India under the fake identity of Azad Mallik. In collusion with Haldar, he allegedly provided Indian documents like Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and passports to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants for money.
The duo charged Rs 50,000 for each set of documents and processed an estimated 300 to 400 such applications. Hussain was arrested on April 15, while Haldar was taken into custody on October 13. Both are currently in judicial custody.
Blatant Forgeries and Biological Impossibilities
ED investigations uncovered shocking discrepancies in the fabricated documents. The agency cited instances that defied biological possibility, highlighting the brazen nature of the forgeries. In one passport application, two individuals claimed to be brothers with dates of birth listed as January 1, 1988, and April 1, 1988—a gap of just three months.
In another equally dubious case, two other "brothers" had birth dates seven months apart (October 24, 1975, and May 24, 1976). The ED stated that among 29 scrutinized passport applications where Haldar submitted Income Tax Return (ITR) copies, many contained "several discrepancies beyond imagination," confirming the use of completely fabricated data.
Hawala Network and Forex Fraud
Beyond the document racket, Hussain is accused of operating a hawala network to facilitate illegal cross-border fund transfers between India and Bangladesh. Payments were collected in cash and via UPI in India, with equivalent amounts sent to Bangladesh using platforms like bKash.
The financial scam extended to a large-scale forex fraud. The ED found that a local Full Fledged Money Changer (FFMC) allowed Hussain to operate a forex counter despite being aware of his non-Indian identity. Hussain allegedly sold foreign currency in public without proper documentation for a commission.
To maintain a facade of compliance with RBI guidelines, the accused generated fake sales in the names of numerous individuals without their knowledge or consent. This elaborate scheme led to over Rs 80 crore being deposited into the company's bank accounts under the pretext of foreign currency sales. The probe confirmed these transactions involved forged documents, fake cash memos, and the unauthorized use of identities.
The special court at Bichar Bhavan in Kolkata has issued notices to the accused. This supplementary chargesheet follows an initial one filed against Hussain on June 13 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), marking an intensification of the crackdown on this interlinked network of illegal immigration, identity fraud, and money laundering.
