Indian passport using fake docus: One more arrested, incriminating articles seized

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police have arrested a person from Parnasree in the case pertaining to the use of forged documents to get Indian passports. This was the fourth arrest in the case.

Cops also seized several incriminating articles, including computers, (fake) seals of SBI, Bank of India and Indian Bank along with photocopies of 36 Indian passports, Schengen and UK visas.

Earlier, the Kolkata Police had arrested three persons, including a postman of Panchasayar sub-post office, for their direct involvement in the racket that was arranging passports for infiltrators.

While probing a case registered at the Bhowanipore police station on the basis of a complaint submitted by a cop of Kolkata Police’s Security Control Organisation (SCO), it was found that several Indian passports were obtained using forged documents.

On September 27, after registering a case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed as directed by the Commissioner of Kolkata Police. During the investigation, some delivery sheets were seized on production from the Panchasayar Sub-Post Office. It was also found that 37 passport applications were generated from the Passport Seva Kendra Basirhat Post Office.

During further investigation, a youth identified as Ripan Biswas of Fortune City in Barasat was arrested on December 12. After interrogating him, police on December 14, arrested a postman of Panchasayar post office identified as Dipak Mondal and Ripan’s father Samaresh Biswas. After interrogating Dipak and Samaresh, police on Monday arrested a contractual staff of Basirhat post office, Taraknath Sen. On Tuesday night, cops arrested Dipankar Das from his residence in Parnasree area. After grilling him, cops conducted a raid at a house in Basirhat from where the incriminating documents were seized.

According to sources, the racket used to apply for passports for the people who had illegally entered India. For this, the racket used to charge about Rs 5 lakh from the beneficiaries. Also, the members of the racket used to manufacture forged documents like admit cards, birth certificates, Aadhar Cards and other relevant documents that are needed to get a passport.

The passports are sent to the holders through the India Post. As the addresses were fake, the accused postman used to go to the addresses as an eye wash and keep those with him. Later, the passport used to be handed over to the person who had given money to the racket.

The case triggered a controversy over how the racket managed to get the police verification process, considered the eye of the passport

office, done.