Bengaluru: Suspected illegal immigrants produced before FRRO

The suspected illegal immigrants identified by the Bengaluru city police during a special operation have been produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), along with a report, for further legal action. A few more individuals’ documents are being verified, as per police sources.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told The Hindu on Sunday that 105 illegal immigrants had been identified, while verification of the documents of other individuals was ongoing.

According to BCP data, 1,035 persons were screened in the Whitefield jurisdiction by 35 police teams, resulting in the identification of 62 illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, 23 police teams screened 1,909 individuals in the Electronics City jurisdiction, identifying 43 illegal immigrants.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Bengaluru city police said they identified and took the alleged illegal immigrants into custody by following the prescribed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The clarification came after the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), and others wrote to the Karnataka Director General of Police and Home Minister, stating that the action was “illegal and constitutionally impermissible.”

However, the police said similar operations would continue across the city as part of efforts to identify and take legal action against those staying without valid documentation.