Kolkata, 5 January (H.S.)-In a significant development in the fake passport racket, Kolkata Police has arrested a former sub-inspector (SI) of its own force. The accused, identified as 61-year-old Abdul Hai, was apprehended late Friday night from Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas. With his arrest, the total number of individuals taken into custody in this case has risen to 9.
According to police sources, a special investigation team raided the Ashoknagar area at around 11:45 PM on Friday and arrested Hai from his residence in the Kamarpara locality. He was formerly associated with the Security Control Organization (SCO) of Kolkata Police, a department responsible for verifying documents required for passport applications.
Investigators believe that Hai’s position within the police department provided him with access to sensitive information and enabled him to facilitate the creation of fraudulent passports. His involvement is suspected to have significantly aided the operations of the racket, which is believed to have been active for a long time.
Authorities are currently interrogating Hai to extract more details about the network and identify other potential accomplices. Officials suspect that his arrest could lead to further breakthroughs in the case.
The fake passport racket came under police radar after a complaint was filed at the Bhawanipur police station on September 27, 2024. Kolkata Police’s headquarters at Lalbazar launched an investigation under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Passport Act. Preliminary findings indicated that a well-organized syndicate had been operating in Kolkata and its adjoining areas, using forged documents to manufacture fake passports.
Over the past few months, police have conducted multiple raids in various parts of the city and suburbs, leading to a series of arrests. A significant number of suspects have been apprehended from North 24 Parganas, suggesting that the district is a major hub for the racket’s activities.
As the probe deepens, investigators are uncovering more layers of the operation. Police officials believe that Abdul Hai’s interrogation will provide crucial leads to other key figures involved in the syndicate. Given the scale of the operation, authorities expect additional arrests in the coming days.
Hindusthan Samachar
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