Kolkata Police busts major passport forgery racket, multiple arrests in ongoing investigation

Kolkata Police's Detective Department has made a key arrest in the investigation of a widespread passport forgery racket. Moktar Alam, a close associate of arrested mastermind Somresh Biswas, was apprehended on Tuesday from Dattapukur. Investigators believe Alam is involved in a large network responsible for producing and distributing forged documents, including passports, across West Bengal. Alam is believed to have played a significant role in the operation, which allegedly involved multiple agents and sub-agents.

The forged passports, created by the network, were produced using a package system. These documents, including fake identification papers, were often altered with fabricated details such as name, address, and religion. Police have found that these forged documents were primarily used by illegal immigrants, particularly from Bangladesh. Alam is suspected of having orchestrated the illegal entry of these individuals into India, as well as arranging for their stay in the region and sending them to other states. The network is thought to have been operational for several years, exploiting various channels to bypass the legal process.

Kolkata Police has also questioned an employee at the Amta post office, who is suspected of directly handing over forged passports to Somresh Biswas and his agents. The investigation has expanded to include multiple post offices across districts such as North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly, and Howrah. Authorities believe these post offices were used as key points for the distribution of the forged documents. Investigators are looking into possible involvement by other post office staff and other individuals within the network.

The interrogation of Moktar Alam is ongoing, with the police expecting it to lead to additional arrests and uncover more details about the scale of the illegal passport trade. The police are working to dismantle the entire operation and have intensified their efforts to track down those still involved in the racket. As part of their investigation, authorities are also focusing on the criminal methods used to manufacture the forged documents and their route through the illegal immigration network.