Crime
Massive Fake Passport Racket Uncovered: 30,000 Fraudulent Indian IDs Issued
KOLKATA: Kolkata Police have dismantled a major fake passport racket with the arrest of Dipankar Das, a contractual employee at a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK). A database recovered from Das’s electronic devices has revealed the issuance of fraudulent Indian identity documents to nearly 30,000 individuals, primarily Bangladeshi nationals.
Fraudulent Documents and European Visas Seized
The investigation uncovered that Das facilitated the creation of fake Indian identity documents, mainly counterfeit passports. Alongside these, authorities seized forged documents from two prominent public sector banks and visas for a specific European country.
The details of these individuals have been circulated to local police stations to trace their whereabouts. Kolkata Police suspect that many of these fake passports were used by Bangladeshi infiltrators to gain illegal entry into countries like France and Italy. The Ministry of External Affairs has been informed about this alarming development.
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Five Arrested, Including Two Contractual Employees
Since Sunday, the police have arrested five individuals in connection with this racket, including two contractual POPSK employees, Dipankar Das and Deepak Mandal. The alleged masterminds of the operation, Samaresh Biswas and his son Ripon Biswas, are also in custody.
Investigation Expands to Permanent Postal Employees
Investigators believe that this operation extends beyond contractual workers, potentially involving permanent employees of the Indian Postal Department. The racket is suspected to have roots in villages along West Bengal’s international borders with Bangladesh.
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The role of multiple post offices and passport service centers is under scrutiny as police aim to dismantle the entire network.
International Ramifications
The police have uncovered evidence suggesting that these fraudulent passports enabled illegal migration of Bangladeshi nationals to European countries. This discovery highlights a severe breach in the security and integrity of the passport issuance system.
Kolkata Police’s swift action has brought to light a sprawling network of forgery, but officials believe this is just the tip of the iceberg. Further arrests and revelations are expected as the investigation unfolds.
