Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 10 (ANI): The Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has uncovered a suspected fake passport network operating in the state, confiscating around 60 alleged fake passports from Gwalior, Bhopal, Betul and Chhindwara and arrested two persons involved into the case, an official said on Thursday.
The investigation began after the STF received information about multiple passports issued from the same address in Gwalior’s Dabra area. The probe subsequently revealed that a large number of passports had also been issued from a single address in Bhopal’s Anna Nagar.
Following which, the team confiscated 40 reportedly fake passports from the Anna Nagar area in the state capital and arrested two persons in connection with the case, identified as Riyal Chaudhary and Biplav Adhikari, residents of Assam and Nagaland respectively.
"Some time ago, we received a complaint that in the Dabra area of Gwalior, there is a place called Samaria Tal, where around 21-22 passport applications were received at the same address. Out of these, around 17-18 applications were approved, while some were rejected. Information came to light that these could be fake passports, following which the matter was investigated,” said Rahul Kumar Lodha, DIG, STF.
He said that during the preliminary investigation, the matter was found to be serious. Following which, a case was registered and a probe began into the case.
“During the probe, it was further found that around 40 passports had been made from a single location in Bhopal. A complaint had also been received regarding the same that multiple passports were issued from the same address in Anna Nagar, Bhopal, and the matter was taken up for investigation,” Lodha said.
He added, “As part of the investigation, we arrested two accused. One of them has been identified as Riyal Chaudhary, who claims to be a resident of Assam. He was questioned, and his laptop was seized. Examination of the laptop revealed facts related to the preparation of forged documents. Four passports were also seized from his possession.
The STF DIG highlighted that the accused used to facilitate the preparation of fake passports for people. Information has emerged that the passports made in the Dabra area were also prepared through this accused (Riyal Chaudhary).
Regarding the second accused, Lodha said, “The second accused has been identified as Biplav Adhikari. He is also from the Northeast region, mainly Nagaland, and a fake passport was recovered from his possession. He had come here through Riyal Chaudhary’s reference. The investigation is currently underway. Efforts are being made to gather information about other persons involved in the entire network and to arrest them. A team has also gone to the Northeast to verify the details provided by the accused.”
Forty passports were made using an address in Anna Nagar, Bhopal. Seventeen passports were made from Dabra, while some passports were also seized from Betul and Chhindwara. So far, around 60-70 fake passports were confiscated, he said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, he added. (ANI)
MP STF uncovers fake passport network; around 60 fake passports, including 40 from Bhopal recovered, 2 held
