A massive scam involving the issuance of fake Indian passports to Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims has been unearthed, with reports suggesting that thousands of individuals have used these counterfeit documents to reach countries like Italy and France. The Kolkata Police, in a breakthrough, has informed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about the scam, which highlights a grave threat to national security.
Recently, the Kolkata Police arrested five individuals, including two contractual employees of the postal department, Deepankar Das and Deepak Mandal. The alleged mastermind, Samarendra Biswas, and his son, Ripan Biswas, are also in custody. The arrests have exposed the involvement of several post offices and passport service centres in facilitating this illegal operation.
The scam revolves around the creation of fake voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, and other critical identification documents for Bangladeshi nationals who entered India illegally. Using these forged documents, the gang applied for Indian passports with fraudulent addresses, primarily from areas in Kolkata.
Scale of the Operation
Investigations reveal that the gang issued 121 passports to Bangladeshi nationals in the past few months alone. Of these, 73 passports were successfully processed by the Regional Passport Authority, while the remaining 48 applications were recently flagged and rejected. Alarmingly, authorities believe that over 30,000 fake passports have been created by the gang, according to statements from arrested suspect Deepankar Das.
The scam’s reach extended to the Malda district, where intelligence agencies noted an unusual spike in passport issuances. More than 16,000 passports were issued in areas like Vaishnavnagar, Kaliachak, and Habibpur in the last year, raising red flags. These areas, located near the India-Bangladesh border, have long been vulnerable to illegal cross-border activities.
High Prices for Illegal Passports
Samarendra Biswas, the alleged kingpin, charged between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per passport from Bangladeshi nationals. For many, acquiring an Indian passport was seen as a gateway to securing jobs and visas to Western countries, as Bangladeshi citizens face significant restrictions in obtaining visas to developed nations.
Investigators suspect the involvement of permanent employees of the Indian Postal Service, particularly in centres near border villages. The scam has highlighted vulnerabilities in the passport issuance system, with the possibility that even terrorists could exploit these gaps to obtain Indian passports.
In response to the revelations, the state intelligence department has now mandated passport applicants to provide documents predating 1971, aiming to curb the issuance of fraudulent passports.
Similar Operations in Uttar Pradesh
The Kolkata scam has parallels with a racket exposed by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) in November 2021. The ATS revealed a network that helped Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims enter India using Hindu names to obtain fake documents and passports.
One key accused, Ajay Ghildiyal, an Air India customer care employee, allegedly facilitated the travel of around 40 individuals to European countries like Spain and Britain using forged documents. Other suspects, including Vikram from Ghaziabad and Samir Mandal from West Bengal, were involved in creating fake identities and securing Indian citizenship for foreign nationals.
Ajay reportedly charged Rs 15,000 per person and shared the proceeds with airline and travel agency employees. The ATS also uncovered links to Gurpreet, a London Passport Office employee, who coordinated operations remotely.
The case highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms and heightened vigilance to protect the integrity of India’s passport system and prevent misuse by illegal migrants and potential security threats.
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