CBI busts major passport racket in Bengal, Sikkim; senior Passport Seva officer among 24 booked

The investigation, which began after a complaint filed a year ago, has unleashed a flurry of activity involving 24 CBI teams conducting coordinated search operations in various locations across the region, including suburban Kolkata, Gangtok, and North Bengal.

Kolkata (West Bengal): The Central Bureau of Investigation has busted a major passport racket in West Bengal and Sikkim and arrested a Senior Superintendent of Passport Seva Laghu Kendra (PSLK), Gangtok and another in an alleged bribery of Rs 1.90 lakh.

Giving details, a CBI spokesperson said a case was registered against 24 accused including Deputy Passport Officer (DPO), Kolkata; Senior Superintendent, PSLK, Gangtok(Sikkim); other public servants among others. It was alleged that public servants of Regional Passport Office (RPO) Kolkata and Passport Seva Laghu Kendra Gangtok entered into a criminal conspiracy with others including passport agents, and middlemen.

"In pursuance of the said conspiracy, the accused were issuing passports on the basis of false and forged identity documents submitted by middlemen on behalf of those persons/applicants who are non-residents of India in lieu of illegal gratification. CBI recovered Rs. 1.90 Lakh from Senior Superintendent, PSLK Gangtok while accepting the same from a Private Person(an agent) at Siliguri. Both the accused were apprehended," the spokesperson said.

During the search, an amount of Rs. 3.08 Lakh(approx) was also recovered from the possession of said public servant, the agency spokesperson said. "As part of the crackdown on the racket, searches were conducted at around 50 places including at Kolkata, Gangtok, Siliguri, Darjeeling, Alipur Dwar, etc. at the premises of accused including public servants & others which led to the recovery of a large number of incriminating documents related to identity proofs, issuance of forged passports. The arrested accused will be produced before the Competent Court," he said.

The investigation, which began after a complaint filed a year ago, has unleashed a flurry of activity involving 24 CBI teams conducting coordinated search operations in various locations across the region, including suburban Kolkata, Gangtok, and North Bengal.

The genesis of this operation can be traced back to a whistle-blower who tipped off authorities about a thriving passport forgery ring operating within the passport office. CBI's involvement in the investigation was a significant development that was shrouded in secrecy until recently. Special CBI teams, executing search operations, have been diligently combing through multiple locations as part of their efforts to unearth this complex web of passport fraud.

At the core of this operation is the desire to ascertain whether those who obtained these fraudulent passports were involved in illegal activities that contravene the law. This line of inquiry arises due to a recent spike in the number of businessmen and political figures associated with various financial institutions acquiring passports and travelling abroad. The case of Binoy Mishra, who was previously linked to the coal and cow smuggling scandal in Kolkata, has become a focal point for CBI investigators.

CBI officials investigating the coal and cow smuggling case have learned that Binoy Mishra has reportedly fled India and sought refuge on an island in another country. This revelation has sparked a cascade of questions regarding how individuals with pending legal matters, such as Mishra, were able to obtain passports.