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A major passport scam has been exposed by the CBI in Sikkim and West Bengal, leading to intensive raids being conducted at 50 locations across several cities, including Kolkata, Siliguri, and Gangtok. The investigation revolves around the illegal issuance of passports based on forged documents. In the course of their inquiry, the CBI has apprehended a senior superintendent of Passport Seva Laghu Kendras (PSLK) in Siliguri, along with an intermediary who acted as a middleman in this illicit operation.
The FIR filed by the CBI names 24 individuals, among whom are 16 government officials. These officials are alleged to have issued passports to ineligible applicants, including non-residents, in exchange for bribes. The passports were obtained using forged documents, indicating a widespread network of corruption and malpractice within the passport issuance system.
The CBI’s investigation was initiated following credible information that pointed to the involvement of certain private individuals collaborating with government officials to procure passports through fraudulent means. These passports were issued on the basis of falsified documents, allowing non-eligible individuals to acquire these vital documents. The raids conducted by the CBI are part of an effort to gather evidence and apprehend all those involved in this illegal operation.
During the searches, the CBI has seized crucial documents that provide proof of the complicity of government officials in the passport scam. The operation highlights the agency’s commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring the integrity of the passport issuance process. Further investigations are ongoing, and suspects are under close scrutiny as the CBI works towards dismantling the entire network responsible for this fraudulent activity.
