Two Bangladeshis and an Indian tout helping the duo were arrested by Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the new Mechi bridge in Panitanki on Sunday evening, while they were trying to enter India illegally from Nepal.
A source reported that personnel of the 41st Battalion of SSB apprehended the trio during a routine security check at the India-Nepal border, approximately 35km from here.
The Bangladeshis are Sushanto Chandra Das, 26, and Md. Zahidul Islam, 23. Das is from the Gazipur district and Islam from Narayanganj in Dhaka. The Indian tout Debasish Chakraborty, 55, is from Calcutta. Debashish intended to help the duo travel to Delhi, a source said.
Five cell phones, currencies of India, Bangladesh, Nepal and some euros, forged identity documents were seized from them.
SSB officials learned that Debasish helped the Bangladeshis to obtain fake Aadhaar cards, Indian passports, and European visas.
“He had agreed to arrange the documents in Delhi and had charged ₹50,000 from each of them. He also has some associates in Delhi who were helping him,” said a source.
SSB filed a complaint at the Kharibari police station in Darjeeling. The trio and the seized items were handed over to the police for further investigation and legal proceedings, a source said.
