Bengal's Fake Passport Operation: Arrested Suspect Linked to Job Scams

Kolkata, Jan 2 (NationPress) Dhiren Ghosh, the eighth and final suspect apprehended by the Kolkata Police in relation to the counterfeit Indian passport scheme operating in West Bengal, was also entangled in international job scams in addition to producing fraudulent Indian identity documents, which included passports for illegal Bangladeshi migrants entering the state.

According to sources within the Kolkata Police, investigations have uncovered that Ghosh had two primary income streams. The first involved facilitating fake Indian identity documents, including passports, for illegal Bangladeshi migrants who had crossed into Indian territory.

His second income source consisted of organizing job opportunities abroad, including roles in some European countries, for these illegal Bangladeshi migrants who were willing to pay substantial sums for employment.

City police sources revealed that prior to his involvement in the fake passport scheme based in Behala on the southern outskirts of Kolkata, Ghosh had spent a decade working in Italy as a cook, during which he cultivated connections with key players in a significant international job racket.

Upon returning to India in 2017, he leveraged his Italian connections to engage in the dual operations of providing counterfeit Indian identity documents, including passports for illegal Bangladeshi migrants, and subsequently securing overseas job placements for some of these individuals through illicit means.

Ghosh had also established his own network in Bangladesh to facilitate illegal border crossings for job seekers aspiring to work abroad.

Since December 15, both the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police have detained seven individuals in connection with the counterfeit passport operation.

Investigators have noted a distinct pattern in the activities of these rackets that specialize in providing fake Indian passports to illegal Bangladeshi migrants.

Any migrant who illegally crosses into India typically contacts local agents and indicates their willingness to pay large amounts for fake Indian identity documents. Initially, they are provided with safe housing in various villages near the borders with Bangladesh, both land and coastal.

Subsequently, agents arrange fake ration cards for these individuals, which serve as the preliminary step for obtaining other identity documents.

With fake ration cards in hand, they can then acquire additional identification documents such as EPIC, PAN, and Aadhaar cards. The final step involves obtaining fake passports based on these other fraudulent identity documents.