Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Yogesh Kadam on Tuesday said the lack of adequate cooperation from the West Bengal government is resulting in illegal Bangladeshi nationals in the western state getting bail in the absence of necessary documents which they procure in the eastern state.

Speaking in the Assembly, the Minister of State for Home demanded that the Ministry of Home Affairs direct the WB government to provide necessary cooperation.

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"We are not able to prove in the court that the documents are fake. 99 per cent of these documents are being procured in West Bengal so they (Bangladeshis residing illegally in Maharashtra) come out on bail (due to sufficient evidence). This is a serious issue," he said, responding to a calling attention motion.

Kadam said the state government has been taking suo motto action against Bangladeshis residing illegally in the western state.

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When these illegal immigrants are arrested, they can only be deported after conviction, Kadam said.

"They enter India illegally through West Bengal where they are helped by some agents. Ninety per cent are from West Bengal. After coming to WB, they get their documents through agents. This is a matter of concern," he said.

Kadam said the state government had apprised the Union Home Ministry of issues faced by it regarding Bangladeshis.

"Deportation is happening at a lower rate vis-a-vis the number of arrests. Even if 600 people are arrested, only 20-25 per cent can be deported which is a very serious issue," he said.

Kadam said when Maharashtra officers go to West Bengal they don't get the expected cooperation.

"We have shared this information with the MHA through the Home Department. Meetings were held with the MHA during which it was conveyed to them that the state government is not getting cooperation as expected," he added.

Kadam said the government is not able to prove cases in courts against illegal Bangladeshis due to the lack of cooperation from the WB government.

The minister said a temporary detention centre being built in Navi Mumbai with a capacity to house 80 people, will become operational in the next two months.

"New detention centres are being built in Maharashtra. Necessary fund allocation will be done and work will start at the earliest," Kadam added.

The minister said the state government had launched an unprecedented crackdown on illegal Bangladeshis in the last four years.

In 2021, 109 Bangladeshis residing illegally in Maharashtra were deported, 77 in 2022, and 127 in 2023. In 2024, 716 illegal Bangladeshi nationals were arrested but only 202 were deported. Until March 2024, action was taken against 600 such illegal immigrants.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)