Riya Barde, alias Arohi Barde, detained by Mumbai police for illegally residing in India using forged documents; hunt for her associates continues as authorities uncover growing forgery network.
A Bangladeshi adult actor has been arrested for allegedly using a fake Indian passport to live in India, highlighting an alarming trend of foreign nationals exploiting fraudulent documents to reside illegally in the country. The actor, identified as Riya Barde, also known by her screen name Arohi Barde, was taken into custody by the Hill Line Police in Ulhasnagar, a suburban area located around 50 kilometers from Mumbai.
The case came to light when the Hill Line Police received a tip-off regarding a Bangladeshi family living in Ambernath’s Nevali A area using fake documents. Acting on this information, the police launched an investigation that quickly uncovered the family’s fraudulent activities, which eventually led to the arrest of Barde. During the inquiry, authorities discovered that the documents used by Barde and three of her associates to stay in India had been forged by a resident of Amravati, Maharashtra.
Riya Barde and her associates have now been booked under Section 14(A) of the Foreigners Act, 1946, which pertains to illegal stay by foreign nationals, as well as under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for forgery and using fake documents. According to the police, the case involves not only the fake passport used by Barde but also other forged identification papers, which were used to facilitate her illegal stay in India.
The fraudulent documents, reportedly arranged by the Amravati-based individual, were not limited to Barde alone. Investigations have revealed that three of her associates were also residing in India using similar fake identification papers. The Hill Line police are currently conducting searches to apprehend the other four individuals involved in the case, who remain at large.
Reports have emerged that Barde’s parents are currently residing in Qatar, further complicating the investigation as authorities attempt to establish the full scope of the operation. This arrest not only raises questions about how foreign nationals acquire fake documents but also points to a larger network of individuals involved in document forgery across states like Maharashtra.
The use of fraudulent documents to enter and live in India is not new. Earlier this year, in an unrelated case, the Thane police in Maharashtra registered a similar case involving a 23-year-old woman named Nagma Noor Maksood Ali, who also went by the alias Sanam Khan. Ali was accused of traveling to Pakistan using a fake passport and visa, which were obtained using forged documents.
Like Barde, Ali had allegedly gone through extensive efforts to conceal her true identity. She reportedly changed her name and acquired multiple fake identification documents, including an Aadhaar card and a PAN card, which she used to apply for her passport. Authorities believe that she successfully traveled to Pakistan using these forged papers before her illegal activities were exposed.
In Ali’s case, the police also filed charges against an unidentified individual believed to have facilitated the procurement of her fake documents. The involvement of facilitators, often working within organized criminal networks, is a critical part of these cases, highlighting the systemic issue of document forgery in India.
The cases of Riya Barde and Nagma Ali underscore a growing problem where foreign nationals are able to acquire fake documents with relative ease, allowing them to travel or reside in India illegally. Authorities are now increasingly focusing on cracking down on the networks that assist in creating and distributing these fraudulent identification papers.
Document forgery not only poses a risk to national security but also creates a challenge for law enforcement agencies that are tasked with detecting and preventing such activities. In the wake of these cases, Indian authorities have called for stricter measures to verify identity documents and prevent the misuse of the system. Enhanced cooperation between regional police departments and central agencies is seen as essential to tackling this growing issue.
The police in Maharashtra, particularly in districts like Ulhasnagar and Thane, have stepped up efforts to track down individuals who use or create fake identification documents. Investigations in both the Barde and Ali cases are ongoing, with police working to identify and apprehend those responsible for facilitating the forgery of crucial identification documents like passports, Aadhaar cards, and PAN cards.
As more details emerge, the Indian government may face pressure to implement stricter immigration policies and strengthen its identity verification processes to prevent further cases of document forgery and illegal residency.