While the Bharatiya Janata Party has frequently highlighted illegal migration and infiltration as critical concerns leading up to the Bihar Assembly elections, recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) paints a different picture. In 2023, only five cases related to Foreigners and Passport Acts were recorded in Bihar. This number is strikingly low, especially when compared to just three such cases in 2022 and a single case in 2021.
Across India in 2023, a total of 2,290 cases were registered under various laws governing foreigners, including the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946; the Passport Act, 1967; the Emigration Act, 1983; and the Citizenship Act, 1955.
West Bengal reported the highest number of these cases with 1,050, followed by Tripura (277 cases), Maharashtra (272), Tamil Nadu (167), and Punjab (78).
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have frequently brought up the issue of infiltration in Bihar during their recent speeches. They used this point to support the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that the Election Commission of India conducted in the state.
The “Prison Statistics of India 2023” report, also released on Monday, revealed a 10.7% increase in the number of foreign inmates in Indian prisons, rising from 6,283 in 2022 to 6,956 in 2023. Among these, 21.5% (1,499 inmates) were convicted, 74.3% (5,167 inmates) were awaiting trial, and 0.4% (25 inmates) were held as detenues.
Among the foreign convicts in Indian jails, Bangladeshi nationals constituted the largest group at 59.4%. They were followed by individuals from Nepal (13.3%), Myanmar (10.46%), Pakistan (6.5%), and Nigeria (3.9%).
Offences Against the State: A Closer Look
The total number of cases categorized as “offences against the State” saw a decline of 13.1% in 2023 compared to the previous year. A total of 4,873 such cases were recorded in 2023, down from 5,610 in 2022. The majority of these cases—81.9% (3,989 cases)—were registered under The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Another significant portion, 15.4% (750 cases), fell under The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). It’s worth noting that UAPA cases also decreased from 1,005 in 2022 to 750 in 2023.
Uttar Pradesh registered the highest number of UAPA cases with 224, followed by Jammu and Kashmir (178), Manipur (113), Assam (73), and Jharkhand (36).
Furthermore, environment-related offenses experienced a substantial increase of 30.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, with 68,994 cases registered in 2023 versus 52,920 in the preceding year. Of these, offenses under The Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) accounted for the vast majority, comprising 85.9% of cases (59,279). Noise Pollution Acts (State/Central) followed with 9.6% of cases (6,640).