In the Pahalgam massacre, terrorists claimed her husband’s life just four days ago. Now, Sohini, wife of Florida-based tech professional Bitan Adhikari, faces a second battle—fighting to retain her Indian citizenship. Sohini has come under scrutiny after her brother-in-law, Bibhu Adhikari, a practicing lawyer, raised serious doubts regarding the legitimacy of her Indian citizenship.
“She is a Bangladeshi national who has been residing in India illegally. Her Indian passport has already been revoked. She married my brother concealing her Bangladeshi identity. A criminal case is pending accusing her of forgery and cheating. We possess irrefutable evidence to substantiate these claims,” Bibhu alleged.
The case (No. 56/2023), filed on February 24, 2023, at Netaji Nagar police station, charges Sohini under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code—including cheating, forgery, and use of forged documents—as well as the Passport Act and Foreigners Act. The matter is currently being heard at Alipore Court.
Investigations reveal troubling past
Investigations have uncovered troubling details. Sources from Bangladesh revealed that Sohini—then known as Sohini Roy—used a Bangladeshi passport (No. U0653943) to travel to India twice, in 2006 and 2008, to pursue her education at a private engineering college in Sonarpur, South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
Records from Bangladesh identify Sohini as the daughter of Shanti Roy, born on March 5, 1989, at 171, Adhhahkshya Jogendranath Sarani, Narayanganj City Corporation, Greater Dhaka.
After completing her studies, Sohini joined Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where she met Bitan Adhikari. They married in 2017. Sohini then moved to the United States with an Indian passport. However, in 2023, her passport was impounded, forcing her to leave Florida and return to Kolkata in January of that very year.
Facing mounting pressure, Sohini applied for Indian citizenship under the provisions of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in November 2024, seeking to regularise her stay.
Accusations of document forgery
Bibhu intensified his allegations, calling Sohini an “international fraud.” He claimed she possesses dual birth certificates and forged Aadhaar and voter ID cards. He also alleged that her mother, Bharati Roy, illegally resided in Kolkata until fleeing to Bangladesh shortly after Sohini’s passport was impounded.
The Adhikari family has further accused Sohini of fraudulently acquiring property in Patuli through forged documentation. They argue that the property, originally purchased under Bharati Roy’s name, was later unlawfully transferred to Sohini.
Efforts to reach Sohini for comment were unsuccessful. When reporters visited her Patuli residence, her family refused full access, citing her deteriorating mental and physical health. A man identifying himself as her elder brother dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”
Since returning to Kolkata, Sohini has received visits from political leaders. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari and Agnimitra Paul met her and later claimed Sohini confided that her husband was targeted because of his Hindu identity. At the airport, Sohini reportedly broke down in tears, trusting Suvendu’s assurances for support.
Battle over compensation and custody concerns
Bibhu has formally objected to Sohini receiving any state compensation as Bitan’s widow. He argues that if Sohini’s Indian citizenship is invalid, she should not be entitled to government benefits. Instead, he asserts, any financial aid should go to Bitan’s grieving parents.
Additionally, Bibhu expressed concern for Bitan and Sohini’s three-year-old son, an American citizen now caught in a complex legal and national identity crisis.
