CBI arrests junior passport assistant, agent for taking bribe in Mumbai

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two accused, including an Office Assistant/ Verification Officer working at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Lower Parel in Mumbai and an agent in a case related to issuing passports based on fake documents in lieu of a bribe.

The CBI registered a case against the Office Assistant/VO, PSK, Lower Parel, Mumbai and other private persons working as passport agents.

According to a statement issued by the CBI's office in Delhi, during the years 2023-2024, the said accused officer entered into a criminal conspiracy with other private persons. In furtherance of the said criminal conspiracy, he was obtaining an undue advantage by doing passport-related work.

Along with the agent and other unknown persons, the accused official issued fake passports to applicants based on forged documents.

It was further revealed that seven unknown persons purporting as applicants had submitted forged documents such as Aadhaar card copy, Pan card copy, Bank Account Statement and Birth Certificates as their address and identity proofs to the Passport Office.

During the investigation, all the documents provided were found to be forged.

Further, chats between the accused public servant and the agent revealed discussion about the payment of undue advantage from these fake passport applicants.

The CBI press note said that the investigation also revealed that mobile numbers provided by applicants in the passport applications were not in service.

The 'Police Verification' was carried out after issuance of those passports under the Tatkaal Scheme (earlier waived during the issuance of passports), and the findings were adverse, as the addresses provided on the passport applications were fake.

"As the accused were evasive and did not cooperate during the investigation, both were arrested," the press note mentioned.

The two accused were produced before the Special CBI Court, Mumbai and were sent to police custody for five days till June 2.

The CBI said that the investigation is continuing in the case.

--IANS

dpb/svn