A man posing as a transgender woman under the alias "Neha" has been detained by Bhopal Police for identity fraud, sparking fears of a larger network of illegal immigration and document forgery. The individual has been identified as Abdul Kalam, a Bangladeshi national who has allegedly lived in India undetected for more than two decades.
Authorities confirmed Kalam's detention under the Foreigners Act after it emerged that he had assumed a false transgender identity and integrated into the hijra community in Bhopal’s Budhwara locality. Police said Kalam, who entered India at the age of ten, initially spent time in Mumbai before moving to Madhya Pradesh eight years ago.
Investigators revealed that Kalam obtained forged Indian identity papers, including Aadhaar and ration cards, as well as a passport, with the help of local agents. He is also believed to have travelled abroad using the fake Indian passport. “He has been living in Bhopal for the last 8–10 years. Before that, he was in Maharashtra. We received a tip-off through an informer and initiated the identification process. He has also travelled to Bangladesh in the meantime, and we are awaiting reports from concerned departments,” said Additional DCP Shalini Dixit.
The authorities are now conducting a medical examination to ascertain whether Kalam is biologically transgender or whether the identity was adopted as a calculated disguise to avoid detection.
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Kalam had built a reputation within the transgender community in both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, raising the possibility that his identity served more than just camouflage. Investigators are examining whether others within the community knowingly or unknowingly assisted him in obtaining forged documents and establishing his cover.
Two local residents, suspected of helping Kalam procure the fraudulent identity documents, are currently under interrogation. Mobile phone records, including chats and call logs, are also being reviewed for further leads.
Officials have expressed concern that the case may not be an isolated incident but rather a window into a broader syndicate facilitating the illegal entry and cover identities of foreign nationals. The probe is now being expanded to examine whether similar cases exist across other parts of the country.
While deportation proceedings have begun, authorities say a full investigation into Kalam’s movements, contacts, and possible links to cross-border networks is being prioritised. Central agencies have joined the Bhopal Police in probing the matter.
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