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Kolkata, Oct 20 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore fake passport racket in West Bengal, is trying to trace the whereabouts of seven suspected Pakistani nationals who had allegedly obtained fake Indian passports through the racket.
According to ED officials, the passports were arranged by Indu Bhushan Halder, one of the key technical operators of the syndicate, who was arrested last week.
Investigators have found that Halder was in touch with another Pakistani national, Azad Malik, who acted as an intermediary between the seven individuals and Halder. Mullick was arrested earlier this year in connection with the same racket.
Investigators believe the seven suspects followed the same route as Mullick to obtain fake Indian passports. Mullick, who was originally a Pakistani citizen, first obtained fake Bangladeshi identity documents to acquire a Bangladeshi identity. He then used forged Indian documents to become an Indian citizen, after which he started running hawala operations and fake passport racket from his rented accommodation in Kolkata.
Sources said the ED has so far collected details of around 250 passports, including those of seven suspected Pakistani nationals, which were allegedly arranged by Halder – mostly on the recommendations of Mullick. Preliminary estimates suggest that Halder earned around Rs 2 crore by facilitating fake passports for clients referred by Malik.
Halder was arrested from Chakdaha in Nadia district last week and is currently in judicial custody. Mullick, who was arrested in April, is also in judicial custody.
The fake passport racket was initially busted by the West Bengal Police late last year, leading to several arrests. The ED later took over the investigation citing suspected money-laundering links.
In April, the agency made a breakthrough by arresting Mullick, whose interrogation revealed that he was also involved in arranging fake foreign visas for customers wishing to travel abroad.
The state police has already chargesheeted 130 accused, including 120 illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, and issued lookout notices against them.
–IANS
Source/SKP