In a significant crackdown on immigration fraud, the Chennai police have apprehended two foreign nationals for allegedly securing Indian passports through forged documents. The arrests were executed by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Sunday following a formal complaint.
Details of the Dual Arrests
The first case involves Shimul Das, a 32-year-old Bangladeshi national. According to police, Das entered India in 2017. He is accused of attempting to obtain an Indian passport under the fabricated name of Srivastava Kripadas. Authorities state that he deliberately concealed his true nationality and submitted a set of forged supporting documents to further his application. His plans were thwarted when he was intercepted while preparing to board a flight to Malaysia.
Second Case: A Long-Term Resident
In a separate but concurrent investigation, the police also arrested Valantia Beatrice, aged 24. She is identified as the daughter of Reynolds Wilson. Beatrice, a Sri Lankan national, is reported to have originally come to India back in 1984. She was taken into custody while attempting to use an Indian passport to travel to Sri Lanka, raising suspicions about the document's authenticity.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The Fake Passport Investigation Unit of the CCB took charge of the case. After conducting thorough verifications, which confirmed the use of counterfeit identity proofs, the unit moved swiftly to arrest both individuals. The arrests were made on Sunday. Subsequently, both accused were presented before a magistrate court on the same day. The court has ordered them to be held in judicial custody as the investigation progresses.
The initial complaint that triggered this probe was filed by the Foreigners Registration Zone Officer stationed at the Chennai international airport. This incident highlights the ongoing vigilance of immigration and police authorities in detecting sophisticated document forgery attempts aimed at compromising national security and immigration protocols.
