Bangladeshi Woman Arrested in Haridwar for Illegal Stay, Fake Identity and Second Marriage

A 41-year-old Bangladeshi national, identified as Sahela Begum, has been detained in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, for allegedly living in India under a false identity, obtaining forged documents, and marrying an Indian man while still legally married in Bangladesh.

According to police, Sahela Begum entered India and developed a relationship with Shyamdas (45), who had been operating a leased hotel in Haridwar for the past four years. Investigators revealed that the two eventually married after she assumed a new identity and began residing in India illegally.

One of the more unusual aspects of the case, police said, is the striking resemblance between Shyamdas and Sahela’s first husband, Amir Hamza. During questioning, Sahela reportedly stated that this similarity played a significant role in her emotional attachment to Shyamdas, particularly as she was dissatisfied with her earlier marriage.

Authorities allege that with Shyamdas’s assistance, Sahela procured multiple forged Indian documents, including an Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving licence, passport, and marriage certificate, under a false name. Police further stated that she entered India legally on a Bangladeshi passport but overstayed beyond the permitted 90-day period.

Investigations indicate that she briefly travelled back to Bangladesh in September 2025 for two days, during which she reportedly met her first husband, before returning to India. Officials noted that despite the visit, she continued to maintain her illegal residence in India.

Police sources added that the accused had cited financial hardship and marital issues in Bangladesh as reasons for relocating to India, reportedly on the advice of Shyamdas.

In a related development, authorities in Dehradun have also detained two other Bangladeshi women—identified as Babli Khatun and Subeda Begum—on similar charges of concealing their identities and marrying Indian nationals after overstaying their visas.

Officials confirmed that Sahela Begum obtained key documents from different locations, including a driving licence issued in Dehradun and Aadhaar and marriage registration documents from Haridwar. An Indian passport was reportedly issued to her in March 2025 under a false identity, allegedly with the help of local facilitation services.

The case has raised serious concerns regarding document fraud, illegal immigration, and misuse of identity systems, prompting further investigation by law enforcement agencies.