New Delhi, Oct 16: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered an alleged passport racket operating in West Bengal and Sikkim, leading to the arrest of two individuals, including a Senior Superintendent of Passport Seva Laghu Kendra (PSLK) stationed at Gangtok in Sikkim. The crackdown stems from an alleged bribery case.
A case has been registered against 24 accused, implicating public servants from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) Kolkata and Passport Seva Laghu Kendra (PSLK) Gangtok. The charges suggest a conspiracy involving passport agents, middlemen, and public servants. It is alleged that, as part of this conspiracy, the accused were issuing passports based on false and forged identity documents submitted by middlemen on behalf of non-residents of India in exchange for illegal gratification, according to the CBI statement.
The CBI seized Rs 1.90 lakh from the Senior Superintendent, allegedly received as a bribe from a private individual (an agent) in Siliguri. Both suspects were apprehended during the operation. Additionally, Rs 3.08 lakh was recovered during a search of the public servant’s possessions, the CBI reported.
The crackdown involved searches at approximately 50 locations, including Kolkata, Gangtok, Siliguri, Darjeeling, and Alipur Dwar. The searches targeted the premises of the accused, including public servants, leading to the recovery of a significant number of incriminating documents related to identity proofs and the issuance of forged passports, according to the CBI.
