In the heart of Ahmedabad, Chandola Lake, a historic water body spanning 109.6 hectares, has become the epicenter of a massive crackdown on illegal settlements. The mastermind behind this illicit operation, Mehmood Khan Pathan, alias Lalla Bihari, was recently arrested and placed in a six-day police remand on Saturday, May 3, 2025, for his alleged role in orchestrating an illegal immigration racket. This operation not only encroached upon a significant natural resource but also turned the lake’s surroundings into a sprawling hub for undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants.

The story of Lalla Bihari’s rise from a laborer to a millionaire slumlord, and his subsequent fall, reads like a tale of ambition gone awry, leaving a trail of fraud, exploitation, and environmental degradation.

Lalla Bihari’s empire was built on the shores of Chandola Lake, where “he had settled Bangladeshis there and had occupied a huge lake Chandola Lake and built slums around it, and settled more than 500 Bangladeshis there”. The lake, once a serene British-era landmark, was transformed into a crowded slum as Bihari filled parts of it with soil to create land for illegal constructions. These shanties were rented out to Bangladeshi immigrants, who paid Bihari for shelter, utilities, and forged documents to establish residency in India. The scale of his operation was staggering, with police handcuffing Bihari and his son, Fateh Mohammed, and escorting them to the very empire where “he used to hold his court once”, a makeshift throne from which he controlled his illicit ventures.

Bihari’s journey began humbly. “Imagine Mehboob Pathan alias Lalla Bihari comes from Bihar to Ahmedabad to work as a labourer”. Arriving in Ahmedabad with dreams of a better life, he toiled as a laborer, but his ambitions soon took a darker turn. “While working as a labourer, he joins the network of settling Bangladeshis and turns the huge natural Chandola lake into a hub for Bangladeshis”. By aligning himself with a network that facilitated illegal immigration, Bihari saw an opportunity to exploit both the land and the vulnerable immigrants seeking a foothold in India. He methodically “fills the pond with soil and builds a slum and settles Bangladeshis there and charges them rent”, turning the lake’s periphery into a profitable enterprise.

His wealth grew rapidly, and “he became a millionaire in no time and built a huge farmhouse on 5 acres of pond land”. This sprawling farmhouse, constructed on illegally occupied government land, stood as a symbol of his ill-gotten prosperity. Beyond the farmhouse, “he also got five bungalows built in Ahmedabad itself”, showcasing the extent of his financial success. Bihari’s personal life was equally audacious. “And he would marry any Bangladeshi girl he found beautiful”, resulting in “this is how he married five Bangladeshi girls and built separate houses for all five of them”. His exploitation extended further, as “if he liked any Bangladeshi girl, he would call her to his farm house whenever he wanted”, highlighting a disturbing pattern of abuse and control.

Bihari’s operations were not limited to real estate. He built a multifaceted empire by charging exorbitant fees for forged documents and running various businesses. “He used to charge ₹ 50000 for making Aadhar card and ration card”, enabling illegal immigrants to obtain fraudulent identities. He also owned “more than 200 auto rickshaws which he used to run on rent from Bangladeshis”, creating another revenue stream. Additionally, “he employed 1000 old and handicapped Bangladeshis for begging, in which every day those beggars had to pay ₹ 500 to Lala Bihari”, exploiting the most vulnerable for profit. His control over the area extended to “a huge illegal parking there and there was no parking facility in all the nearby societies where he was charging Rs ₹ 500 to ₹ 20 per day from each vehicle”. Even basic utilities were a source of income, as “these Bangladeshis were charged extra money for electricity and water”, with Bihari allegedly securing illegal electricity connections, possibly with the complicity of government officials.

The scale of his earnings was staggering. “This Lalla used to earn more than 5 crore rupees per month from Bangladeshis in Bihar”, a fortune amassed through fraud, exploitation, and environmental destruction. However, his empire came crashing down when authorities launched a massive crackdown. “Now the bulldozer has been run on the entire empire of Lalla Bihari, everything has been leveled”, as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) demolished approximately 4,000 structures, including 1,000 pucca (permanent) and 3,000 kutcha (temporary) structures, clearing 1.5 lakh square meters of encroached land. Bihari attempted to evade capture, having “absconded and was hiding in the house of a labourer working at a construction site in Banswara from where he was trying to flee to Bangladesh via Bihar but he was nabbed from Rajasthan itself”.

The crackdown was triggered by heightened security concerns following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 tourists, including three Gujaratis. Intelligence reports linked illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to security threats, including potential ties to Al-Qaeda, prompting swift action. On April 26, police detained 890 individuals from the Chandola Lake area, with “about 250 Bangladeshis have been deported and the documents of the remaining are being checked”. Of those detained, 200 were confirmed as illegal immigrants and sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) for deportation proceedings. The operation, described by Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghvi, as a “historic victory”, involved over 2,000 police personnel and 50 AMC teams.

Police investigations revealed the depth of Bihari’s fraudulent activities. “Police say Bihari collected monthly rent and utility payments from these residents, amounting to fraud and breach of trust against both public utilities and occupants”. The AMC’s demolition drive, which began on April 29, was part of a three-phase plan. “This is not a sudden move. It follows six to eight months of groundwork. The action is being carried out in three phases. The first phase is complete, and the second will begin after a detailed survey,” a senior state government officer stated. The AMC also initiated a Rs 3 crore project to build a precast protection wall around the cleared area, though it was paused on May 3 due to inadequate land surveys.

Bihari’s arrest on Friday, May 2, in Rajasthan’s Banswara district marked a significant breakthrough. The court’s decision to grant “six days custody of Mehmood Khan Pathan, alias Lalla Bihari, the prime accused in the illegal immigration racket, for interrogation” allows police to probe deeper into his network. The prosecution highlighted suspicions of government officials’ involvement, stating that “the prosecution, in its remand application, raised serious suspicions about the involvement of some government officials in facilitating illegal electricity connections to Bihari’s unauthorized buildings”. These connections enabled Bihari to rent out illegal structures to immigrants. Chief Public Prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt argued that “Bihari had constructed and rented out illegal houses, party plots, warehouses, farmhouses, and shanties to accommodate undocumented immigrants”.

Searches at Bihari’s properties uncovered incriminating evidence. “During searches conducted at properties owned and occupied by Bihari’s family while he was absconding, investigators recovered 43 forged rent agreements”, created using fake Aadhaar and PAN cards to legitimize illegal residencies. The prosecution emphasized the need to interrogate Bihari and his son together, as “the duo allegedly worked together to shelter and legitimize the presence of illegal immigrants”, using electricity bills as address proofs for further documentation. Investigators are also pursuing “agents who facilitated cross-border movement of Bangladeshi nationals and helped them procure forged identity documents”.

The scale of Bihari’s wealth was evident in the seizures from his wife’s residence, where “investigators seized a money-counting machine, Rs 9.73 lakh in cash, and gold and silver jewellery worth Rs 35.22 lakh”. City Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that “additional forces will be deployed during second phase of the demolition of nine illegal construction sites that is planned by AMC officials”, signaling continued action. The State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) is also involved, ensuring coordination in the deportation process.

The Gujarat government has ambitious plans for Chandola Lake’s restoration. “Gujarat government is going to develop Chandola lake on the lines of Kakaria lake”, with Narmada water being released to rejuvenate the water body. Additionally, “about 8 acres of land which has been vacated from Bangladeshis is being given to BSF”, with a cabinet-approved proposal to build quarters for Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers. These efforts aim to restore the lake’s ecological and cultural significance while addressing security concerns.

The operation has been hailed as a testament to the leadership of “Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Bhai Sanghvi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Bhai Patel”, whose commitment to national security and public welfare drove the crackdown. As the investigation continues, authorities are determined to dismantle the remnants of Bihari’s network and ensure that Chandola Lake is reclaimed as a public asset, free from illegal encroachments and criminal activities.