A Bangladeshi model and actress, Shanta Pal, has been arrested in Kolkata for allegedly using fake Indian documents to purchase properties. The 28-year-old was taken into custody earlier this week after authorities discovered she possessed fraudulent Indian documents, including Aadhaar cards and a ration card.
Pal, who also worked as a food vlogger and was previously a crew member for a Bangladeshi airline, reportedly used the fake documents to pose as an Indian citizen. Police are investigating how she obtained these documents and whether she had assistance from a forgery network. According to initial investigations, Pal wanted to travel to several foreign countries, which she couldn't do from Bangladesh, so she came to India to travel using Indian documents.
The Kolkata Police have registered a case against her for cheating and criminal conspiracy. During the arrest, authorities seized two Aadhaar cards, a voter ID card, a Bangladeshi airline ID, and an admit card from Bangladesh's secondary examination board from her. One of the Aadhaar cards had an address from East Burdwan district, while the other had her Kolkata address. Police say she frequently changed addresses and provided conflicting details, including in a recent fraud complaint filed at Thakurpukur Police Station, where she listed a different address.
The police have notified the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the Election Commission, and the State Food Department to verify the authenticity of the seized documents. A Kolkata court has remanded Pal to police custody until August 8. The investigation aims to uncover how she entered India, how she acquired the multiple IDs, and if a forgery network aided her.
Shanta Pal had been living in a rented flat in Bikramgarh, Jadavpur since 2023. Before that, she initially rented accommodation in the Park Street area after arriving from Dhaka several months ago. She had been living in Kolkata with her parents on a valid Bangladeshi passport before attempting to acquire Indian identity documents through illegal means.
Police are also examining Pal's social media posts for leads. According to sources, her Aadhaar card was issued in 2020 using an address in Burdwan. Pal also won the 'Miss Asia Global Bangladesh' beauty pageant title in Bangladesh.
