In response to the rising number of fake passport rackets, especially in the wake of ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, the West Bengal Police have urged the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to overhaul the passport verification system. The Kolkata Police recently uncovered a racket that issued Indian passports to Bangladeshi nationals using forged documents.
New System Proposal for Strengthening Passport Verification
On Sunday, Rajeev Kumar, Director General of West Bengal Police, stated that the current system, where police have minimal involvement in the verification process, is ineffective in combating the growing problem. He emphasized the need for stronger involvement from local law enforcement and proposed a new system that would assign a greater role to the district intelligence branch (DIB), local police stations, and senior officers in passport verification.
“We have written to the MEA requesting them to strengthen the passport verification system and we are actively pursuing it. We propose a new system where the DIB, local police stations, and senior officers will play a larger role,” Kumar said.
Police Discover Major Passport Forgery Racket
The Kolkata Police recently busted a major passport forgery racket that involved issuing Indian passports to Bangladeshi nationals. Seven individuals were arrested, including two employees of the temporary postal department. The police investigation revealed that these forged passports were being sold for sums ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh.
Kumar also highlighted the vulnerabilities in the current system, such as software issues and the involvement of post offices in passport distribution. “All agencies must collaborate to address these vulnerabilities. We aim to strengthen the system to prevent misuse,” Kumar added.
Impact of Bangladesh’s Political Instability
West Bengal shares a 2,216 km border with Bangladesh, the longest international border of any Indian state with a neighboring country. Some stretches of the border remain unfenced, making it highly porous and prone to illegal activities, including infiltration and smuggling. The Border Security Force (BSF) frequently intercepts attempts to smuggle drugs, gold, wildlife, and counterfeit Indian currency notes (FICN).
“The situation in Bangladesh is fragile, and we don’t want it to be exploited to create issues here,” Kumar emphasized, pointing out that individuals entering India through Meghalaya’s Tura would likely pass through West Bengal, exacerbating the risk of cross-border illegal activities.
The investigation into the passport racket revealed that over 70 fake passports had already been issued. These passports were being sold to Bangladeshi nationals, raising significant concerns about national security. The police have already alerted the MEA about these findings and are continuing their investigation into the matter.
Earlier this month, two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Kolkata’s Park Street area for possessing Indian documents, including Aadhaar cards. The duo had been living in Kolkata for several years under these fraudulent identities.
On Sunday, the police arrested a travel agent, Manoj Gupta, who allegedly operated a travel agency as a front for the illegal activities. Gupta played a key role in the racket by helping individuals forge documents to obtain Indian passports. He has been charged with cheating and forgery, and the investigation is ongoing.
Strengthening the System for National Security
As concerns over the rise of fake passport rackets continue to grow, West Bengal Police’s call for an overhaul of the passport verification system highlights the importance of ensuring rigorous checks and collaboration between agencies to safeguard national security. With the political instability in Bangladesh and the porous border, strengthening the passport verification process is seen as a vital step in preventing misuse and maintaining the integrity of India’s identity verification systems.