- Two Indian nationals from Assam were arrested for forging documents for a Bangladeshi citizen
- Forged documents included voter ID, birth certificate, Aadhaar card, and PAN card of a deceased Indian
- Fraud was uncovered during passport verification despite earlier issuance of some fake ID cards
In a significant development, Assam Police have arrested two persons, both Indian nationals from Assam's Sribhumi district, which borders Bangladesh, for allegedly attempting to obtain an Indian passport for a Bangladeshi citizen using forged documents created in the name of a dead Indian citizen.
According to police sources, the accused have been identified as Burhan Uddin and Faizur Rahman, both residents of Patharkandi in Sribhumi.
The matter came to light during the ongoing verification of passports, prompting the police to initiate a broader investigation.
The passport application was submitted in the name of Farooq Ahmed, and the forged documents were allegedly used to present the Bangladeshi national as an Indian citizen.
During verification, it was discovered that all the documents - including a voter ID card, birth certificate, Aadhaar card, and PAN card - had been fraudulently created in the name of Farooq Ahmed, who had died several years ago.
Although the fake documents had already been used to generate a voter ID and Aadhaar card, the fraud was exposed during passport verification, the police sources added.
Several forged documents and electronic devices, including computers, have been seized from the two accused.
Police suspect that the duo may have created fake Indian documents for Bangladeshi nationals in the past as well.
Top police officials have confirmed that they are investigating the scale of the operation and whether this is part of a larger cross-border racket.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Jyoti Kalita told journalists, "We are investigating how many Bangladeshis have been disguised as Indian citizens using fake documents in this chain, and whether any other individuals or groups are involved in this racket."
The sources further revealed that a group may be helping Bangladeshi nationals illegally enter India and acquire Indian identity documents by impersonating dead Indian citizens whose records remain accessible.
The Assam Police are now trying to trace the Bangladeshi nationals for whom the passports were being arranged.
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