Bangladeshi Racket Busted: Fake Indian Passports Scam Exposed
Mastermind Manoj Gupta Arrested; Over 100 Fake Indian Passports Issued
Bangladeshi Racket Busted: Kolkata – A major racket involved in issuing Indian passports to Bangladeshi nationals using forged documents has been uncovered. The gang, operating under the guise of a tours and travel agency, allegedly facilitated the creation of fake Indian identities and sent individuals abroad. The mastermind of this operation, Manoj Gupta, along with six accomplices, has been apprehended.
The accused were reportedly earning millions by exploiting this fraudulent scheme, which has sparked a significant security concern. Gupta was arrested by the West Bengal Police and presented before the Alipore court, which remanded him in police custody until January 10.
How the Racket Operated
Manoj Gupta, based in the Chandpada Motilal Gupta Road area under Gaighata Police Station in North 24 Parganas district, allegedly ran the racket from his office. Working with accomplices, including Samaresh, the gang forged documents to create Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and voter IDs. These fake documents were then used to apply for Indian passports.
Tour and travel agencies were pivotal in the operation, assisting the accused in sending these individuals abroad. Each Bangladeshi national paid the gang up to ₹5 lakh for the service.
The racket even involved employees of the postal department. Sources revealed that these employees ensured the delivery of passports to the gang rather than legitimate addresses. Kolkata Police arrested a contract postal worker from the Parnasree area of Behala for aiding the racket.
Items Seized During Arrest
The police have seized:
- A hard disk drive
- A computer
- Multiple forged documents
- A laptop
These items are believed to contain crucial evidence that could unravel the extent of the racket.
Recent Arrests
Prior to Gupta’s arrest, two individuals were detained from North and South 24 Parganas districts, along with another suspect, Dipankar Das, from South 24 Parganas. The revelations from these arrests laid the groundwork for tracking down Gupta and his network.
The Bigger Picture
The racket’s modus operandi highlights severe lapses in the systems governing identity verification and passport issuance. The ability to manipulate such critical documents poses significant national security threats. Authorities are investigating whether other agencies were complicit in facilitating this fraud.
