48 illegal migrants arrested from camp in Wadala TT area

Forty-Eight illegal Bangladeshi migrants were arrested from a camp in Wadala TT on Friday. The Special Branch-I of Mumbai Police, which conducted the raid, said were working for government projects, including MMRDA's Monorail. Four labour contractors employed by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and J Kumar Group have been arrested for recruiting illegalimmigrants.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Sanjay Shintre said over 200 cops assisted in the crackdown and scrutinised records of over 2,200 labourers. "These labourers live on 50 acres of government land in Wadala TT. They have managed to get Indian identities and work here without legal paperwork," he said.

The investigations found most of these immigrants sourced illegal bogus voter cards and other identity documents for as less as Rs 150 from West Bengal.

This year, the Special Branch raided 22 construction and infrastructure projects and found 1,121 illegal Bangladeshi migrants, of which 250 have been deported. Four contractors working with J Kumar company have been arrested.

The Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) can deport illegal migrants and invoke labour laws in such cases. "It's also inhuman as these labourers are willing to live in pitiable conditions. In many cases, this is also lack of human rights and that's why we have booked the contractors under labour laws," added Shintre. His office will now issue showcause notice to these migrants and get them deported.

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