National Desk, 14th October: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at more than 50 locations in West Bengal and Sikkim, including Kolkata, Siliguri, Darjeeling, and Gangtok, in connection with a fake passport scandal. The investigation focuses on fraudulent passport issuance facilitated by corrupt officials and intermediaries.
Gautam Kumar Saha, a senior superintendent at the Gangtok Passport Seva Kendra, was detained during these raids. Additionally, a hotel agent with Rs 1,90,000 in his possession was apprehended for his involvement in the fraudulent passport scheme.
An FIR has been filed against 24 individuals, including 16 officials, who are accused of providing passports based on fraudulent documents to ineligible applicants, including non-residents, in exchange for bribes.
These operations represent a significant effort by the CBI to unravel and combat the complex network behind the issuance of counterfeit passports, which has raised concerns about the integrity of the passport issuance process.