A major passport fraud scheme has been uncovered in Kerala, leading to the arrest of several individuals, including Azees, a central figure in the scam, and Kamalesh, a resident of Manakkad. The fraud involved the issuance of fraudulent passports using forged documents and fake identity cards, with many passports issued under questionable circumstances, such as for individuals on the goonda list and even for a person who died 17 years ago.
The investigation revealed that Azees was at the center of the scheme, where he oversaw the issuance of passports to undeserving individuals using deceptive methods. Kamalesh was responsible for creating and distributing fake identity cards, which played a crucial role in the scam. He was arrested by the Thumba Police and taken into custody.
The fraudsters used rented house addresses within the Thumba police jurisdiction, allowing them to apply for passports with false details. Fake election cards were created to validate these addresses, and Azees, who was in charge of verification, falsely confirmed the addresses, facilitating the issuance of multiple fraudulent passports.
An alert passport officer noticed discrepancies in the addresses provided by applicants, triggering a re-verification process by the Thumba Police Station House Officer (SHO). This re-verification led to the discovery of the widespread fraud, which involved several individuals working together to create fake documents and issue fraudulent passports.
The authorities have arrested several key figures involved in the scam. Apart from Kamalesh, others detained include Zafarulla Khan, Altaf Manzil Badaruddin from Kollam, Edward from Mannanthala, and Sunil Kumar from Varkala. Prasanth, directly involved in forging documents, was also booked on June 16, 2024.
Anzil, another individual suspected of involvement, had been under surveillance for three days prior to his suspension. Although currently absconding, his arrest is expected soon. The police have indicated that a case will be filed against Azees, and all passports verified by him will undergo thorough scrutiny.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to determine the full extent of the scam, including how many individuals may have traveled abroad using these fake passports. The police have emphasized the seriousness of the fraud, given that the scam also involved people from the goonda list and other undeserving individuals obtaining official documents.
Kazhakkoottam ACP N Babukuttan confirmed that the case will be formally registered against Azees, and that efforts are underway to trace the remaining individuals involved in the passport fraud.
