ED raids multiple locations in ‘fake passport’ case

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at multiple places across the state in connection with the fake passport racket case.

On Tuesday, ED officials raided at least eight places in Bengal, including the Beckbagan area in Kolkata, Birati in North 24-Parganas and Gede in Nadia. It was learnt that ED officials are trying to find out how fake passports were issued and to what extent the racket has spread across the state. The central agency is trying to ascertain whether any hawala connection is there while dealing in the huge amount of money involved in such a racket.

Last month, Kolkata Police filed chargesheet against 130 persons, including about 120 Bangladeshi nationals in fake passport cases.

The accused persons were booked on charges of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust by a public servant or by banker, merchant or agent and criminal conspiracy, along with other allegations under the Passport Act and Foreigners Act.

Among the 130 accused in the chargesheet, 10 persons were arrested. Of them, eight are still in judicial custody while two were granted bail.

The remaining 120 persons, who are reportedly Bangladeshi nationals and applied for Indian passports by submitting false documents, are mentioned as “absconding” in the chargesheet. Kolkata Police had registered a case during November last year at the Bhowanipore police station, based on a complaint filed by a cop from the Security Control Organisation (SCO).