Bangladeshi national held in Saharanpur after 17 years on the run, ₹25,000 bounty
Synopsis
A Bangladeshi national who spent 17 years dodging arrest across multiple Indian states — complete with a forged Aadhaar card and a ₹25,000 bounty — has finally been caught in Saharanpur. The case highlights how undocumented migrants can exploit identity gaps to evade law enforcement for nearly two decades.
Key Takeaways
Zahid alias Dallu , a Bangladeshi national , was arrested in Saharanpur by UP Police and the ATS after 17 years as a fugitive.
A cash reward of ₹25,000 had been announced for information leading to his arrest.
Police recovered a Bangladeshi identity card , a forged Aadhaar card , and other suspicious documents from his possession.
The original case was registered in 2009 at Kutubsher Police Station under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act ; five others were also accused, three of whom were jailed.
At the time of arrest, Zahid was living in Dera Bassi, Mohali (Punjab) ; his permanent address is in Bandarban District, Bangladesh .
A fresh FIR has been filed at Chilkana Police Station ; ATS is now investigating his network and possible accomplices.
Uttar Pradesh Police and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have arrested a Bangladeshi national carrying a ₹25,000 reward on his head from Saharanpur, ending a 17-year manhunt that began in 2009. The accused, identified as Zahid alias Dallu, was apprehended in a joint operation on Saturday after evading law enforcement across multiple Indian states for nearly two decades.
Background of the Case
The original case against Zahid was registered at Kutubsher Police Station under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act in 2009, following the detection of six Bangladeshi nationals who had entered India without valid passports or requisite travel documents. Of the six, three were sentenced to jail terms by a court. Zahid, however, secured bail and subsequently absconded, refusing to appear before the police or the court despite formal summons.
A non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued after he failed to comply, and he was officially declared an absconder. Authorities announced a cash reward of ₹25,000 for information leading to his arrest.
How the Arrest Was Made
The breakthrough came during a special campaign launched by Saharanpur Police to track down wanted criminals. A tip-off about a suspicious individual with a dubious identity brought a joint team of police and ATS personnel to the location, where Zahid was apprehended.
Briefing the media, City SP Vyom Bindal confirmed the arrest and said that interrogation established the accused's full identity. At the time of arrest, Zahid was found to be residing in the Dera Bassi area of Mohali, Punjab, while his permanent address is listed as Lefkasari Police Station, Bandarban District, Bangladesh.
Documents and Evidence Recovered
Police recovered a Bangladeshi identity card and a Vivo mobile phone from Zahid's possession at the time of arrest. A subsequent search of the mobile phone revealed a forged Aadhaar card and other suspicious documents, indicating a deliberate attempt to establish a false Indian identity.
Based on this evidence, a fresh case has been registered against him at Chilkana Police Station under Sections 318(4), 336(3), and 340(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act.
Fugitive's Movements and Links
Investigators say Zahid had been constantly changing locations since 2009, moving across several Indian states while concealing his identity. His wife is reportedly a resident of Nepal, adding a cross-border dimension to the case. Authorities are now probing his contacts, network, and any potential accomplices who may still be operating within the country.
The arrest underscores persistent concerns around undocumented migration and the use of forged identity documents to evade detection — a pattern that security agencies have flagged repeatedly in recent years. The ATS-led investigation is expected to widen as digital and document forensics are completed.
Point of View
Obtain a forged Aadhaar card, and build a life in Punjab speaks to the ease with which identity documents can be fabricated and the fragility of inter-state coordination on wanted persons. The ₹25,000 reward is a rounding error as a deterrent; the real question is why it took a 'special campaign' and a tip-off to close a case that should have been tracked through routine coordination. With the ATS now probing his network, the arrest may be less an endpoint than an entry point into a wider web.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Zahid alias Dallu, the Bangladeshi national arrested in Saharanpur?
Zahid alias Dallu is a Bangladeshi national from Bandarban District, Bangladesh, who was arrested in Saharanpur by UP Police and the ATS on Saturday after evading law enforcement for 17 years. He had originally been booked in 2009 under the Foreigners Act for entering India without valid documents and subsequently absconded after being granted bail.
Why was a ₹25,000 bounty placed on Zahid?
After Zahid failed to appear before the police or court despite summons following his bail in the 2009 Foreigners Act case, a non-bailable warrant was issued and he was declared an absconder. Authorities then announced a ₹25,000 cash reward to encourage public information leading to his arrest.
What documents were recovered from the accused?
Police recovered a Bangladeshi identity card and a Vivo mobile phone at the time of arrest. A search of the phone revealed a forged Aadhaar card and other suspicious documents, suggesting the accused had fabricated an Indian identity to avoid detection.
What charges has Zahid been booked under following his arrest?
A fresh case has been registered against Zahid at Chilkana Police Station under Sections 318(4), 336(3), and 340(2) of the IPC and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, in addition to the original 2009 case at Kutubsher Police Station.
What is the ATS investigating now?
The ATS and UP Police are investigating Zahid's contacts, his movement network across states since 2009, and any accomplices who may still be hiding in India. The cross-border dimension — his wife is reportedly a Nepal resident — is also being examined.
