UP ATS nabs Bangladeshi, 2 others for running passport racket

Uttar Pradesh's anti-terrorism squad (ATS) today arrested three members of a gang, including a Bangladeshi national, involved in getting passports made on the basis of fake documents.
In a joint operation by intelligence sleuths and the state police, the ATS arrested Bangladeshi national Yusuf Ali from Kursi village of Ghaziabad.
Two others -- Wasim Ahmed and Ahsan Ahmed -- were arrested from Deoband in Saharanpur, the ATS said in a statement.
The ATS had been getting information about a gang active in getting passports made for Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in the country on the basis of fake Aadhar cards and other documents, the ATS said.

It said that during the probe Ali's name came to light.
Ali had got such a passport made for himself and was also an active member of the gang, the ATS said.

A number of fake documents, including two Aadhar cards, a PAN card, a driving licence, a voter card, cheque books, passbooks, ATM cards, three mobile phones and photocopies of voter and Aadhar cards of four other persons with West Bengal addresses were recovered from Ali among other things, the statement said.
ATS is also investigating several entries of Rs 1 lakh in Ali's bank account from Saudi Arabia, it said.

From the two persons arrested in Deoband, a laptop, a printer, a scanner, finished and unfinished documents and photographs were recovered, the release said.
During interrogation, it came to light that the gang used to get Aadhar cards, voter cards and other documents made on the basis of affidavits and fake certificates issued by schools.
The documents were then used to get passports made, the ATS said.
They used to charge a huge sum of money in return for the work, it said.
Interrogation was continuing and stern action will be taken against the revenue department and police employees facilitating this unlawful act, Inspector General of UP's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Aseem Arun said.

More information with regard to national security and terror activities was being gathered and steps will be taken to bust the network, he said.
The accused will be brought here on transit remand, the IG said.