Investigation Launched into Police Involvement in Fake Passport Scheme in Bengal
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Kolkata, Jan 2 (NationPress) The Kolkata Police have commenced an investigation into police officers alleged to have performed a sloppy 'police verification' process, which resulted in the issuance of counterfeit Indian passports to unauthorized Bangladeshi migrants.
Sources within the police department revealed that there are currently two officers involved in the verification process under scrutiny.
One of these officers has already been interrogated by the investigation team, while the other is scheduled for questioning in the next couple of days.
The allegations against these officers include failing to conduct physical visits to the homes of certain passport applicants prior to submitting their clearance reports.
Under increasing pressure, the police department was prompted to act after a city court, led by the chief judicial magistrate, directed a thorough investigation into their colleagues at relevant police stations last week.
These officers were responsible for verifying the credentials of individuals who later unlawfully obtained fake passports through fraudulent identities.
The chief judicial magistrate emphasized the importance of holding police personnel accountable, stating that the credibility of the verification process is crucial.
Investigators have been tasked with determining whether any procedural oversights or complicity by police officers facilitated the issuance of these fake passports.
Since December 15 of the previous year, authorities have arrested a total of eight individuals connected to rackets involved in procuring fake Indian identity documents, including passports, for illegal Bangladeshi migrants.
Several public distribution system (PDS) dealers are also being investigated for their role in assisting in obtaining counterfeit ration cards for these illegal migrants.
In fact, acquiring fake ration cards was a critical step in the entire process of securing other counterfeit Indian documents, with passports being the final item.
