Fake passport scam: Bengal DGP urges MEA to strengthen verification process

West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar on Sunday said that he had written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urging a total overhauling of the verification and distribution of new passports to combat misuse.

Kolkata Police recently unearthed a fake passport racket and arrested at least eight persons for their alleged involvement in it.

Talking to reporters, the IPS officer said in the letter to the MEA, they also pointed out software issues and proposed the idea of superintendents of police personally conducting the verification process.

"We have written to the MEA requesting them to strengthen the passport verification system. We have proposed a new system where the district intelligence branch (DIB), local police stations, and senior officers will have a more significant role," Kumar said.

"In the letter, we have also expressed our concerns about the distribution of passports through post offices. All the agencies must collaborate to address these vulnerabilities. We aim to strengthen the system to prevent misuse," Kumar added.

On issuance of passports, the police officer pointed to the current practice of no involvement of police in verifying an applicant's identity, address, or signature, as those documents are handled by the passport seva kendras and passport offices unless re-verification is specifically requested.

"There is no requirement for police to meet the applicant or obtain their signature on the police verification report (PVR). This policy might have been introduced by the MEA to simplify the process. We propose that SPs personally oversee and ensure thorough verification," the IPS officer said.

Recently, Kolkata Police exposed a fake passport racket and arrested eight persons in this connection.

On Saturday night, police arrested a travel agent, the kingpin of the racket, from North 24 Parganas district. Earlier, they had arrested a few others.

Several fake documents, hard disk drives, a computer, and a laptop, which were used to manufacture the fake passports, were seized.