Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 14 October carried out searches at over 50 locations in West Bengal and Sikkim, and arrested two people in connection with the fake passport racket.
As per the central probing agency, a fresh case has been registered against 24 people, including 16 public servants, following a recently received complaint. “Searches are underway, and many suspects are under the radar. We have recovered documents about the involvement of government officials in the racket”, said the official.
The crime probing agency has arrested a senior superintendent at the Gangtok Passport Seva Kendra, Gautum Kumar Saha, and a hotel agent with Rs. 1,90,000 in his possession for illegally issuing passports with forged and fake documents for middlemen.
The searches continue in Kolkata, Siliguri, Gangtok, and other locations.