Amidst rising tensions in Bangladesh, a serious passport fraud investigation has been launched in Kolkata after it was found that 73 Indian passports had been allegedly issued to Bangladeshi nationals utilizing “cast paperwork”, the police stated on Wednesday.
The regional passport authority allegedly issued 73 of those passports, whereas 48 different passports had been blocked regardless of their “candidates” reportedly finishing the applying course of.
A Particular Investigation Group (SIT) from the Kolkata Police headquarters Lalbazar arrested 4 accused, together with Samaresh Biswas and his son, Ripon Biswas, who’re believed to be the principle conspirators.
Two momentary submit workplace staff, Deepak Mondal, and Tarakanath Sen, have additionally been arrested for his or her alleged involvement within the fraud.
In the meantime, in response to a police officer, additionally it is being probed if the police verification was accomplished for these 121 passports.
As per the police, the accused allegedly created faux voter and Aadhaar playing cards to add through the utility course of, largely in North 21 Paraganas district. Prima facie, the police stated, a number of staff of the passport service centres of two submit workplaces at Amta in Howrah and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas would allegedly add the paperwork with out verifying them.
The police suspect that the alleged fraudulent passport holders might have “infiltrated” India from Bangladesh after which left the nation utilizing these fraudulent passports. The police are actively contacting authorities in France and Italy to analyze potential journey locations and get the passports cancelled.
The Ministry of Exterior Affairs has been knowledgeable concerning the scenario, and efforts are underway to cancel the 48 blocked passports. As per sources, the passports have been made and issued in change for Rs 2 to five lakh.
Investigators are additionally wanting into the alleged function of passport service centres together with a number of submit workplaces on this incident. In the meantime, Sen, who was arrested on Monday, and Ripon, who was arrested earlier, had been produced within the Alipore courtroom on Tuesday. The 2 had been remanded to police custody till December 24.
The police stated they’re trying to find “a number of” different individuals concerned within the alleged rip-off after interrogating Samaresh. They added they’ve discovered that Samaresh had earlier been arrested in Barasat, Chunchura, and Delhi in passport forgery circumstances.
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