Shillong, Oct 8: Citizenship through investment in many countries comes at a hefty price (starting Rs. 1.5 crore) but in India touts and agents are paving the way towards Indian citizenship illegally at a throwaway price of just Rs. 2000 to 3000.

According to intelligence sources, Bangladeshi infiltrators are handed an Aadhar card by paying touts just about Rs. 3000. Some of these touts hand this Aadhar card even before the infiltrators cross the border.

Once an infiltrator gets his or her hand at an Aadhar card, the rest of the documents for getting a voter’s identification card are a breeze. Security agencies are now scratching their heads to find ways to stop this.

“It’s true that some of these Bangladeshi infiltrators have managed to get Aadhar cards right across the border and in India for as little as Rs 3000. Corrupt private enrolment or quasi government agents for Aadhar card could be involved in these anti-national activities,” a security official said.

Aadhar or Unique Identification Authority of India is issued to Indian citizens and offers several benefits. Some of these include getting benefits of social welfare schemes, opening bank accounts, obtaining an Indian passport, etc.

This important piece of document has now become a source of concern with some corrupt agents and officials misusing their position to issue it clandestinely. “Recently, Bangladeshis were arrested in India who had Aadhar cards and they spent just Rs 3000 to get it,” an official informed.

Several countries offer citizenship through investment. St Kitts in the Caribbean introduced the first citizenship by investment program in 1984. Several Caribbean countries followed and then some European nations, like Portugal, Greece, Malta, Cyprus and others joined in.

However, some of the cheapest citizenship by investment comes at around 1.5 crore (Dominica) and also Pacific Island nations like Vanuatu and others come at about the same price. Getting into the nations under the European Union or Schengen area is expensive and begins at Rs. 7 crore and above.

The officials said that even for getting into European and other countries there are international rings who work clandestinely for a far lesser sum to get into those countries illegally. Such networks are dangerous and several people have lost their lives or life-long savings while trying to get into those countries.

“Getting into India from Bangladesh is far easier and cheaper. All one has to do is bypass the BSF through the porous border with or without an Aadhar card and then become one of the 142 crore plus Indians,” the security official said.

Read: Assam police seize drugs worth over Rs 8 cr

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