Indian Crime Investigation Department (CID) officials have arrested two Sri Lankans and an Indian agent during the ongoing probe into Sri Lankan refugees illegally obtaining Indian passports. 

According to Indian Media, the Crime Investigation Department Telangana on Saturday arrested the two Sri Lankan nationals for obtaining Indian passports illegally to travel to foreign countries.

The CID booked a case after it came to light that a major racket was being operated and many Sri Lankan nationals obtained passports illegally from Telangana and used it to travel abroad.

On Saturday, two Sri Lankan nationals Varuniya Thirunavukkarasu, 30, and Sanjika J, 29, who had obtained Indian passports and tried to travel out of India were arrested in Chennai. A mediator, Priya Dharmalingam, 41, was also arrested. She acted as mediator and facilitated around 21 Sri Lankan nationals in obtaining Indian Passports in connivance with passport agents.

The case dates back to early this year when one Abdus Sattar Osman Al Jahwari and other passport agents created fake identity cards i.e. Aadhar cards, voter ID cards, ration cards, birth certificates and educational certificates on the names of Sri Lankan nationals and submitted more than 125 passport applications at different POPSK centers in Telangana. 

Further, they have managed Passport Seva Kendra employees, SB police officials and postal officials by giving bribes for processing the passport applications submitted by them with fake documents for issuing of Indian Passports, said Shika Goel, Additional DG, Telangana CID.

In turn, the accused persons/passport agents have collected hefty amounts from the passport applicants/ Sri Lankan Nationals. The 26 accused arrested so far include passport agents 16, six SB officials, a Passport Seva Kendra employee and three Sri Lankan nationals.

During the course of the investigation 108 Indian Passports, 33 mobile phones, 5 Laptops, 5 CPUs, 3 Printers, 11 Pendrives, 1 Scanner, and 82-Rubber stamps have been seized from the accused.

The investigation is still in progress to collect evidence of the fraud and apprehension of other connected accused. The investigation is being carried out by Special Teams of CID. (Newswire)

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Nine brokers who had engaged in a passport racket near the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla have been arrested this morning.

The suspects had obtained money from the public near the passport office offering to obtain passports on their behalf. 

The group was arrested by the Sri Lanka Police Intelligence Unit on the directive of Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles. 

The media had reported that a group was operating near the passport office obtaining a sum of Rs. 25,000 from individuals to carry out the necessary passport-related activities while the customer does not require to stand in queue. 

Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles had issued instructions to the Police Intelligence Unit yesterday to launch an investigation into the allegation.

The Police were able to apprehend nine suspects who had obtained money from the public. 

Stating that the raids will continue, Minister Tiran Alles stated that investigations will also be conducted to find any officials involved in the passport racket. (NewsWire)

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