Sahar police in Mumbai have arrested passport agent Roshan Dudvadkar, 50, in connection with a human trafficking case while searching for his associate Rajesh Panchal alias Rajubhai from Gujarat. The investigation has been handed over to the crime branch amid suspicions that the duo operated within a larger criminal network with insider support from passport acquisition to immigration clearance.
According to the probe, Dudvadkar booked airline tickets under his own name to access airport premises and help travelers clear documentation, facilitating illegal departures. The FIR alleges that Dudvadkar and Panchal facilitated the illegal transportation of around 80 people—mostly from Gujarat—to countries including Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Poland over the last three years. They reportedly charged Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh per person.
Dudvadkar, a resident of Andheri East, worked under Panchal in Mumbai, who allegedly created fake passports and visas to enable these illegal journeys.
The crime came to light after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) alerted the crime branch. “The accused allegedly charged Rs 50 lakh per person to provide fake passports and visas for specific destinations,” an official said. FRRO initially summoned Dudvadkar before handing him over to the crime branch. He was responsible for arranging travel documents to Europe and North America.
Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sable of the crime branch registered the case based on FRRO’s complaint, which highlighted that 80 individuals fraudulently obtained travel documents. The FRRO provided detailed information, including images from immigration counters, travel history, and stampings to aid the investigation.
