Hyderabad: Months after the Crime Investigation Department (CID) cracked the whip on the fake passport activity in Telangana by nabbing 22 accused among policemen and agents, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the matter, in connection with the misuse of passports by travelling from India to other countries.
It was reported that the CID officials, who found 130 fake passports issued from Telangana, asked the Regional Passport Office to cancel them and take appropriate action. Upon receiving the CID's request, the passport office informed the MEA about the scandal.
The CBI is likely to probe different aspects of the scandal such as how the accused had influenced the officers in obtaining fake passports with fictitious names, how they got two passports on a single name and other violations. Sources said the MEA officials took the matter seriously and obtained an internal report.
On January 19, the Telangana CID got a tip-off on the fake passports scandal and formed more than ten teams headed by DSP rank officers. These teams have conducted simultaneous raids in Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Korutla and other places in Telangana. During the raids, the CID arrested more than ten persons including the key players of the scam.
In an initial probe, the CID found that the accused had created fake passports with the assistance of policemen for foreign nationals, especially from Sri Lanka. While the case was under investigation, the CID arrested passport agent K. Kalyan, a resident of BK Guda, SR Nagar, and three assistant sub-inspectors Thippanna from Maredpally traffic police station, Shaik Nazeer Basha from Panjagutta traffic police station and Guntur Venkateshwarlu from the SHE Team at Haka Bhavan.
Following their questioning, the CID uncovered more leads and informed the RPO of the fake passport scandal. In the case, the CID obtained a breakthrough by nabbing key accused Abdul Sattar Osman Aljahwari, who is being questioned. In his alleged confession, the accused disclosed that they had created fake passports with the help of policemen based on education certificates of Sri Lankan nationals through the Chennai-based agents, who have connections with foreigners.
