Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Aug 3: Kolkata Police have arrested a Thai woman from a spa in south Kolkata for allegedly overstaying in India for several years without valid travel documents, officials said on Monday.
The arrest was made during a raid at a spa on Sarat Bose Road on Sunday following a tip-off, as part of an intensified drive to identify foreign nationals allegedly residing illegally in West Bengal.
According to police, the woman failed to produce documents proving her legal stay in India during preliminary questioning. Subsequent verification revealed that her Thai passport had expired in 2025, while her Indian tourist visa had lapsed on February 27, 2021. Despite the expiry of both documents, she allegedly continued to stay in the country without obtaining the required legal permission.
"We are investigating the entire matter. More details will be shared later," a police official said.
Officials said the Centre has recently reiterated that foreign nationals without valid visas or mandatory documents will not be allowed to remain in India. Following the directions, police have stepped up surveillance across Kolkata and other parts of the state.
A special team has been constituted to conduct inspections and verify documents at hotels, guest houses, spas, rented accommodations and other establishments. Investigators are probing how the woman managed to stay in India for such a long period, where she had been residing, who had been in contact with her, and whether she had links to any organised network.
Central agencies have been informed about the arrest. The woman will be produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Kolkata. Pending further legal proceedings, she has been lodged at the Tollygunge Women's Police Station.
Police said the operation was carried out by a specialised team formed to identify and apprehend foreign nationals staying illegally in the state. Acting on intelligence inputs, the team traced the woman to the Sarat Bose Road spa and arrested her after she allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or valid documents supporting her continued stay in India.