Kerala: Bangladeshi national working at Indian Naval Academy held, 6th arrest in Kannur this week

Kannur police arrested Viplav Soren, 32, from the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala near Payyannur on September 18. Police said he had been working there as a temporary employee for around a year. 

 

Officials are yet to establish whether the name he provided is genuine and are investigating his identity and background. Police have not disclosed the exact nature of his work at the academy. 

 

 

According to a UNI report, Soren was working in the laundry section and is suspected of using forged documents claiming Indian identity. The report said he possessed an Aadhaar card in the name of Biplab Soren and a police clearance certificate purportedly issued by the Murshidabad police in West Bengal. These details are part of the ongoing investigation.

 

 

The latest arrest follows the detention of five Bangladeshi women in Kannur.

 

The first, Salina Akter, 29, was arrested on September 14 from a spa near Kannur railway station after police received information from a central intelligence agency.

 

Police said she could not produce a passport, visa or other valid documents allowing her to stay in India. A photograph of a Bangladeshi National Identity Card was reportedly found on her phone.

 

The next day, police arrested Nazma Akter (40), Taslima Khatun (25) Moyna Khatun (29) and Nasri Bheebi (28) from rented accommodation in Kannur. Police said they were working at a spa in the city. During the investigation, officers reportedly recovered Bangladeshi identity documents and suspected fake Indian identity papers from the women.

 

 

One of the main questions before investigators is how foreign nationals obtained Indian identity documents and used them to live and work in the country. Police are examining whether intermediaries helped arrange Aadhaar cards and other documents, as well as bank accounts and mobile SIM connections. Reports have cited police sources as saying some of the women claimed they obtained the documents in Assam before travelling to Kerala.

 

Investigators are also examining the women's movements before they reached Kannur. Police information cited in reports suggests that some had travelled through West Bengal, Assam, Bengaluru and other cities before reaching Kerala. The role of agents who may have arranged travel, accommodation, documents and employment is also under investigation. The extent of any organised interstate network has not yet been established.

 

 

The arrests have prompted Kannur police to intensify inspections at spas and massage centres. Establishment owners have been asked to provide identity documents of employees, particularly workers recruited from outside Kerala. Police are checking whether other foreign nationals may be working in the district without valid documents.

 

The role of employers and intermediaries is also being examined. One spa owner told Onmanorama that the women had shown him Aadhaar cards identifying them as residents of Kolkata and denied bringing them from Bangladesh. He said he had shared their Aadhaar details with police after employing them. His claims are also part of the investigation.

 

The Kannur investigation is now looking beyond the six arrests. Police are examining the identities of those arrested, their travel routes, the origin of the documents they used and the people who may have helped them enter India or find employment.

 

A complaint has also been forwarded to the Kerala State Police Chief seeking special inspections across districts to identify foreign nationals who may be staying or working without valid documents.

 

The six accused have been booked under the applicable provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, according to reports. Further action, including deportation where legally applicable, will depend on the investigation and completion of the judicial process.