Ahmedabad drive: 166 Bangladeshi nationals held, Aadhaar fraud under probe
Synopsis
Gujarat's biggest immigration sweep since last year's Chandola crackdown has flagged a deeper rot: 166 confirmed Bangladeshi nationals in Ahmedabad allegedly held Indian Aadhaar cards. The probe now widens from illegal stay to the document forgery networks — and possibly the enrolment operators — that made it possible.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Crime Branch confirmed 166 Bangladeshi nationals among 300+ detained in Operation Delta Hunt.
Joint CP (Crime) Sharad Singhal said several had obtained Indian Aadhaar cards illegally .
Raids were carried out in Naroda, Danilimda, Vatva, Vatva GIDC and Juhapura by over 30 teams .
Some detainees were reportedly linked to last year's Chandola Lake operation .
A previous Ahmedabad drive led to the deportation of 465 Bangladeshi nationals .
Probe extends to document forgery networks allegedly operating within Gujarat.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has confirmed 166 Bangladeshi nationals among more than 300 individuals detained in a citywide crackdown, with investigators now probing a suspected Aadhaar fraud network that allegedly helped them secure Indian identity documents. The disclosures were made on Wednesday, 3 June, as part of an update on the statewide Operation Delta Hunt.
Key Developments
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sharad Singhal said 166 people had so far been verified as Bangladeshi nationals out of those rounded up, while questioning of more than 150 others was continuing. ‘Quite a few among the 166 had obtained Indian Aadhaar cards illegally. We are investigating through whom these documents were made,' Singhal said.
Police are also examining how the detainees entered India, the work they were engaged in, and the channels through which they remitted money.
How the operation unfolded
The Ahmedabad exercise was conducted under the supervision of city Police Commissioner G.S. Malik and involved more than 30 teams drawn from the Crime Branch, Cyber Crime Branch, Special Operations Group and local police stations. Raids and verification drives were carried out in Naroda, Danilimda, Vatva, Vatva GIDC, Juhapura and other localities.
Singhal said intelligence gathered through both human sources and technical surveillance suggested some detainees may have been linked to earlier enforcement actions around Chandola Lake. ‘When we carried out the Chandola operation last year, several people fled. Information suggested that some of them later began residing in and around Ahmedabad,' he said.
The Aadhaar fraud angle
Investigators are now probing how forged Indian identity documents were allegedly obtained, with the enquiry expected to extend beyond illegal immigration to those suspected of enabling document fraud networks operating within Gujarat. The probe will examine middlemen, enrolment operators and any officials potentially involved in issuing the cards.
Context and precedent
The latest crackdown follows a major drive conducted last year in Ahmedabad, after which authorities reportedly deported 465 Bangladeshi nationals. ‘Like last year, when 465 illegal Bangladeshi nationals were deported under the guidance of the Police Commissioner and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, we believe these individuals will also be deported swiftly after due process,' Singhal said.
What's next
Police said further legal action would be pursued once verification procedures are completed, with deportation expected to follow due process. The parallel probe into document forgery networks is likely to expand the case well beyond the immigration angle.
Point of View
But the more uncomfortable number is the count of Aadhaar cards allegedly issued to people who should never have qualified. If illegal immigrants can secure India's most foundational identity document, the failure isn't just at the border — it's inside the enrolment system. Gujarat's repeat crackdowns suggest deportation alone hasn't disrupted the pipeline. Until the operators, agents and any complicit officials enabling fraudulent Aadhaar issuance are named and prosecuted, each sweep risks being a temporary fix to a structural leak.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation Delta Hunt in Gujarat?
Operation Delta Hunt is a statewide enforcement exercise by Gujarat Police targeting suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. In Ahmedabad, more than 300 people were rounded up, of whom 166 have so far been confirmed as Bangladeshi nationals.
Why are Aadhaar cards central to the investigation?
Several of the 166 confirmed Bangladeshi nationals allegedly obtained Indian Aadhaar cards through fraudulent means. Police are now investigating the document forgery networks and intermediaries that issued these IDs, expanding the case beyond illegal immigration.
Where were the Ahmedabad raids conducted?
Raids and verification drives were carried out in Naroda, Danilimda, Vatva, Vatva GIDC, Juhapura and surrounding areas. More than 30 teams from the Crime Branch, Cyber Crime Branch, SOG and local police stations were involved.
What happens to the detainees next?
Police said legal action will follow once verification is complete, with deportation expected after due process. Officials cited last year's precedent, when 465 illegal Bangladeshi nationals were deported from Ahmedabad.
Is this linked to the earlier Chandola Lake operation?
Intelligence inputs suggest some of those detained may have fled the Chandola Lake operation last year and later resettled in and around Ahmedabad. That link is now part of the active probe.
