Corruption
Retired West Bengal Sub-Inspector Arrested in Fake Passport Racket
A retired sub-inspector of the West Bengal Police, Abdul Hai, 61, was arrested late Friday for his alleged involvement in a fake passport racket that enabled illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to enter India. Hai, previously attached to the Passport section, was apprehended from his residence in North 24 Parganas and has been remanded to police custody until January 18.
According to police, Hai played a pivotal role in approving 51 passports based on forged documents, charging Rs 25,000 for each. Investigations revealed financial transactions between Hai and other members of the racket, prompting further interrogation to uncover the scale and network of the operation.
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The racket, operating under the guise of a travel agency, is accused of illegally issuing 73 fake Indian passports, primarily targeting Bangladeshi nationals. With Hai’s arrest, a total of nine individuals have been apprehended in connection with the case.
Earlier, Kolkata Police arrested Dhiren Ghosh, 48, from Madanpur, Nadia, on Tuesday night, seizing incriminating documents during the raid. Ghosh’s involvement surfaced during the interrogation of Manoj Gupta, identified as one of the masterminds behind the racket.
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Other individuals arrested include college student Ripan Biswas, his father Samaresh Biswas, Mukhtar Alam, Tarak Nath Sen, and Dipankar Das. Chief Public Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal highlighted the necessity of Hai’s custodial interrogation to uncover further details about the operation and those involved.
The police continue to investigate the extent of the racket, which has raised concerns about security lapses and immigration violations.