Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has identified 77 Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in the state, out of whom 73 have already been deported, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Assembly on Monday.
Replying to a query by BJP MLA Padma Lochan Panda, the Chief Minister said the identification was carried out during a state-wide verification drive in accordance with guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Majhi stated that as per MHA letter No. 25022/28/2020-FI (Part-III) dated May 2, 2025, instructions were issued to Superintendents of Police in all districts to expedite the identification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The district police chiefs have been conducting verification exercises in compliance with these directives.
During the drive, identity documents of 2,261 suspected individuals were examined. Of them, 2,184 were found to be Indian citizens and released after verification. The remaining 77 were confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the state.
District-wise, 26 were identified in the Bhubaneswar Urban Police District (UPD), 14 in Cuttack UPD, six in Berhampur, one each in Ganjam and Koraput districts, four in Kandhamal, three in Kendrapara, and 21 in Jagatsinghpur district.
The Chief Minister informed the House that 73 of the 77 identified Bangladeshi nationals have been deported to Bangladesh, while the deportation process for the remaining two individuals identified in Bhubaneswar UPD is underway.
He further revealed that two Bangladeshi nationals — one each from Ganjam and Kandhamal districts — had fraudulently obtained Indian passports using forged documents. Separate criminal cases have been registered against them, and they have been produced before the court for further legal action.
Majhi said the state government has intensified efforts to detect and deport illegal foreign nationals residing in Odisha. He added that the police have been directed to thoroughly verify the identities of suspected individuals, including scrutiny of financial transactions, communication records and digital footprints to establish nationality.
