Kolkata Police’s detective department conducted search operations across North 24-Parganas and held a former police officer in the fake passport scam.
During the search operation, a former police sub-inspector was arrested from Ashoknagar in Habra. The arrested officer had previously worked in the passport section of the police department. With this, the total number of arrests in the case has risen to nine. The arrested officer, Abdul Hai, had voluntarily retired a year ago. However, prior to his retirement, he was allegedly involved in multiple illegal activities related to passport verification.
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According to police sources, during the verification process, he facilitated passports for many individuals through unlawful means. It is alleged that he charged Rs 25,000 per passport.
Earlier, Kolkata Police arrested the mastermind of this racket, Manoj Gupta. Investigations began after suspicions arose that a gang was creating fake passports using forged documents worth lakhs of rupees. Police launched raids across the city and its suburbs, leading to the arrest of this former police officer. Investigators at Lalbazar have discovered that the former sub-inspector collaborated with this network. Allegedly, illegal immigrants or infiltrators from Bangladesh, who entered India were able to obtain passports easily with the help of this racket.
Following a court reprimand, Lalbazar has taken a stricter stance against fake passports. Police commissioner Manoj Verma has issued several instructions to station heads regarding passport verification. This arrest has raised concerns about corruption within the system. With rising unrest in Bangladesh, infiltrators, including militants, have been increasingly entering India. Using forged Aadhaar cards, they were able to create fake passports. The recent exposure of such fraudulent activities has shaken the state administration. To ensure accurate passport verification, a new mobile application is likely to be introduced soon. Through this app, all documents will be verified online. Police officers will then visit applicants’ residences for further verification. During the visit, officers will take photographs of the applicants as well as themselves. This process will help track which officer is involved in the verification, thereby reducing the chances of fraud.
