Fake passport racket busted, one held

Police busted a fake passport racket from the port area and arrested the prime accused who they believe used to operate the racket from the city. In the course of investigation police came to know that the accused used to dupe youth from various parts of the state with false promises of jobs abroad. He would also assure the victims that he would arrange their passports and Visa while going abroad.

The investigating officers seized more than 60 fake passports from a house under Watgunj police station area on Thursday. Police came to know in the investigation that the accused identified as Mohammad Imran had duped around Rs 9 lakh from 5 job seekers from Murshidabad whom the accused had assured of providing them jobs in South Asia. Imran had also promised them that he would arrange their passport and visa, for which he also took money from them.

As the accused failed to deliver them the passport and visa on time, it aroused the suspicion of the victims. They tried to contact the accused but they failed to establish contacts with him. The victims finally registered a complaint in the Watgunj police station on the basis of which the police have started an investigation.

A team of city police on Thursday raided a house in the port area and arrested the accused. They have found huge number of fake passports from at his possession. Police interrogated the accused to know the identities of the other persons who were involved in the incident.

According to the preliminary investigation, police suspect that some other people have been involved in the fake passport racket. The investigating officers were trying to know the names of the other accused. Police were also investigating whether the accused was a part of any inter-state fake passport racket.