Retired Policeman Arrested in Fake Passport Case
Kolkata Police arrested a retired sub-inspector, Abdul Hai, from his North 24 Parganas residence on Friday night. Hai is accused of verifying fake passports as part of a larger racket under investigation.
Over 50 Fake Passports Verified
Preliminary investigations revealed that Hai, previously assigned as an enquiry officer for passport verification, allegedly verified more than 50 passports that later turned out to be fake. The court has remanded him to police custody until January 18.
A senior police officer stated, “Further investigation is ongoing, and we are examining digital evidence to trace the money trail.”
Allegations of Bribes and Suspicious Transactions
During the interrogation of other accused individuals, Hai’s name surfaced. Some of them alleged that he accepted ₹25,000 per verification for fake passports.
Police have identified suspicious bank transactions linked to Hai and have seized digital evidence for forensic analysis.
Hai’s Family Denies Allegations
Hai’s family members have rejected the claims against him. His nephew said, “My uncle retired recently after serving for several years at the Kolkata Police headquarters. We know him as an honest man.”
Over 70 Fake Passports Issued to Foreign Nationals
The investigation revealed that more than 70 fake Indian passports were issued using forged documents. These passports were reportedly sold for ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh, primarily to Bangladeshi nationals who used them to travel abroad.
Police Seek MEA’s Help to Strengthen Passport Verification
The state police have written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), urging stronger passport verification measures to counter rising fake passport rackets.
The investigation continues, with police looking into whether more law enforcement officials were involved in the scam.
for more updates follow ANN MEDIA on facebook , X , Instagram and Linkedin
