Bengal fake passport case: ED tracing seven Pakistani nationals holding Indian passports

Kolkata, Oct 20 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore fake passport racket in West Bengal, is trying to trace the whereabouts of seven suspected Pakistani nationals who allegedly obtained fake Indian passports through the racket.

According to ED officials, the passports were arranged by Indu Bhusan Halder, one of the key technical operators in the syndicate, who was arrested last week.

Investigators have found that Halder was in contact with another Pakistani national, Azad Mullick, who acted as the intermediary between the seven individuals and Halder. Mullick was arrested earlier this year in connection with the same racket.

Investigators believe the seven suspects followed a similar route to Mullick to obtain fake Indian passports. Mullick, originally a Pakistani citizen, first acquired fake Bangladeshi identity documents to assume a Bangladeshi identity. He then used forged Indian documents to become an Indian citizen, after which he began running hawala operations and the fake passport racket from his rented accommodation in Kolkata.

Sources said the ED has so far collected details of around 250 passports, including those of the seven suspected Pakistani nationals, all allegedly arranged by Halder -- mostly on recommendations from Mullick. Preliminary estimates suggest Halder earned around Rs 2 crore by facilitating fake passports for clients referred by Mullick.

Halder was arrested from Chakdaha in Nadia district last week and is currently in judicial custody. Mullick, who was arrested in April, is also in judicial custody.

The fake passport racket was initially unearthed by the West Bengal Police late last year, which led to multiple arrests. The ED later took over the probe, citing suspected money-laundering links.

In April, the agency achieved a breakthrough by arresting Mullick, whose interrogation revealed that he was also involved in arranging fake foreign visas for clients seeking to travel abroad.

The state police have already filed a chargesheet naming 130 accused, including 120 illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, and have issued lookout notices against them.

--IANS

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