Valiyathura police have arrested Shibu R (43) at the airport on Thursday night for allegedly using a forged passport. Shibu, a resident of Thadatharikathu Veedu, Panavoor, had been working in Saudi Arabia for several years using fraudulent documents.
According to police, Shibu obtained a passport with a Kollam-based address under the name Shibu K (48) of Shibu Bhavan, Pallisserickal near Sasthamcotta, although no such person resided there. The fraud came to light when he attempted to renew his passport at the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Upon attempting to return to India with the renewed passport, immigration officials at the Saudi airport noticed irregularities and deported him to Thiruvananthapuram, where he was handed over to Valiyathura police.
Shibu has been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita:
Section 318(4) – cheating
Section 319(2) – cheating by personation
Section 336(2) & 336(3) – forgery and forgery for cheating
Section 340(2) – fraudulent use of a forged document
Additionally, he faces charges under Section 12(1)(b) of the Passports Act, 1967. He was produced in court and remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Police are also intensifying the search for Hassan of Kottoor near Kuttichal, the alleged agent who assisted Shibu in forging documents and obtaining the fake passport. Investigators are examining whether the network was involved in other similar cases.
