New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The Delhi Police has apprehended six Bangladeshi nationals, including two people posing as transgenders in a bid to evade detection, an official here said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Mahi (22), Tanya (19), Aklima Bibi (35), Ambrose, Md Kamal (51), and Mahbub Alam (50), have been apprehended from southwest Delhi and Rohini area, he said.

Alam entered India on a visa for an appointment at the Portugal Embassy but overstayed after the visa expired on April 8, police said.

In southwest Delhi’s Mahipalpur area, two Bangladeshi transgender, Mahi and Tanya, were apprehended, a senior police officer said. They had illegally entered India through porous borders with the help of agents. They were residing in the city while disguising themselves as members of the transgender community to avoid detection, he said.

The accused disclosed during interrogation that they underwent minor gender-affirming procedures and hormonal treatments to support their assumed identities. They also named two other Bangladeshi transgenders, Pinky and Irara, as facilitators who helped them procure fake documents and settle in Delhi.

“Two mobile phones containing the banned IMO app and communication logs proving their Bangladeshi origin were seized. Aadhaar and PAN cards, which were obtained using forged documents, were also recovered,” an officer said.

In a separate operation, Ambrose, a Bangladeshi man who had been living illegally in R.K. Puram for the past three years, was apprehended. He failed to produce valid documents and admitted to entering India illegally, police said.

“Ambrose had only photocopies of Bangladeshi documents and had been residing in the city while seeking accommodation. He was taken into custody and later transferred to the deportation centre,” the officer said.

In Rohini, police apprehended three more Bangladeshi nationals from different localities in north-west Delhi.

“Aklima and Kamal had previously been deported from India in 2007 and 2012 respectively but managed to return through illegal channels. Kamal, who hails from Madaripur district in Bangladesh, was found in possession of an Aadhaar card,” he said.

While Kamal was engaged in scrap work, Aklima, who was working odd jobs, had managed to return after being released near the border at night, he added.

Mahbub Alam entered India on a visa for an appointment at the Portugal Embassy but overstayed after the visa expired on April 8, police said. He owns a medicine shop back in Bangladesh and has a family there.

“All three were living without valid Indian documents and were sent to the deportation centre after a thorough verification process,” a police official said. PTI SSJ HIG HIG