Hyderabad: Fake passport scam: 8 arrested, 3 absconding

Cyberabad : In a fake passport case, the Cyberabad police arrested eight persons including four Bangladeshi natives, two police officers and two residents of Bodhan, while three are absconding.

The Commissioner of police, Cyberabad, VC Sajjanar, addressing a press conference on Tuesday, said that, he issue of fake passport came to light when three persons, Sanjib Datta, Ramu Das and Mondal Sandip, all natives of Bangladesh, were detained at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) by the immigration authorities for travelling to Dubai on fake passports.

The trio were remanded to judicial custody on January 28. He noted, "The accused confessed that they were natives of Bangladesh and were staying in Bodhan from where they obtained the fake passports and fake Aadhaar Cards.

Based on their confessions, the investigation progressed and the nexus between the immigrants, police officers and locales were exposed. Further investigations led us to the arrest of Parimal Bain alias Shivam, Shahnaj Pail alias Sabuj, (travel agent who arranged for the flight tickets of illegal immigrants) both natives of Bangladesh and Mateen Ahmed Mirza (a resident of Bodhan who colluded with the immigrants and police in procuring the fake Aadhar Cards and passports)."

Two police officers, P Mallesh Rao (51), S.I. of Special Branch (SB) in Bodhan and B Anil Kumar (49) ASI of Nizamabad who helped the immigrants to procure passports also cropped up and they were arrested on February 20.

Three persons, Sameer (a resident of WB and a mediator who helps the immigrants to cross into India illegally), Manoj (a native of Iraq who arranges Visa for illegal immigrants) and Saddam Hussain (a resident of Mumbai who arranges flight tickets) are still absconding.

The accused gang had obtained 72 fake passports using four residential addresses in Bodhan. "The police have requested the Foreigner's Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to open Look Out Circulars against 72 persons who fraudulently procured fake Aadhaar cards and Indian documents including passports and went abroad.

Also, the District Collectors and SP's of various districts of West Bengal have been requested to provide us with the details of the 72 persons.

Special teams have been formed under the supervision of DCP of Shamshabad, Prakash Reddy to expose the entire syndicate of fake passports," said Sajjanar.