Pune Police Intensifies Passport Verification Protocols After Bangladeshi Nationals’ Arrests
Pune, 2nd January 2024: In response to the recent arrest of six Bangladeshi nationals by Mumbai police for allegedly obtaining Indian passports through fraudulent means in Pune, Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr has issued directives to strengthen passport verification processes. Last week, Kumaarr directed officials, especially those in charge of passport cells at police stations, to personally conduct home visits for address verification to ensure the authenticity of applicants, especially foreign nationals.
This move comes after an investigation by Mumbai police revealed that ten Bangladeshi nationals had acquired passports by providing forged residential addresses from Pune. Kumaarr instructed passport cell officials to visit the residential addresses mentioned by passport applicants for thorough verification. The officials are now required to inquire with at least two to three individuals from the area to corroborate the applicant’s details. This is a departure from the current practice where police stations primarily call applicants with documents, conducting verifications without visiting their homes.
In December, a workshop involving all city police passport officials was convened by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Sambhaji Kadam. The workshop emphasized the need for rigorous verification of passport-related documents and outlined safeguards to be adopted for more stringent verification.
Mumbai Police’s investigation, based on an FIR filed on October 28, revealed that the foreign nationals had procured passports from the jurisdiction of Wanawdi and Yerawada Police Stations in Pune. Presently, five policemen from Pune police are under investigation for providing verification reports without physically visiting the residences furnished by the Bangladeshi applicants.
In a written communication to all police stations on Wednesday, Commissioner Kumaarr stated, “Passport cell personnel must visit the applicant’s residence for address verification and make inquiries about background information from neighbors.” He highlighted that organized gangs in Pune might be facilitating the issuance of passports to Bangladeshi and other foreign nationals using forged documents.
The police commissioner emphasized the need for daily lists of verifications, signed by the police station in-charge. The passport cell is instructed to meticulously verify documents such as Aadhaar Card, birth certificates, and other required documents, as directed by the Maharashtra State Director General’s office. Suspicious documents should prompt the passport branch to alert officials of the Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) for further assistance.
Commissioner Kumaarr encouraged police station officials to leverage tablets and other specified gadgets by the passport department for quicker service delivery to applicants. He pointed out that six Bangladeshi nationals obtained passports under the jurisdiction of Hadapsar Police Station, with four using the same modus operandi under Wanawadi Police Station.
In a related development, the Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC) of Mumbai Police arrested 20 Bangladeshi migrants and two citizens in connection with a racket involved in issuing passports, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other documents to Bangladeshi infiltrators.
