The police have registered a forgery case against Mamtha Bady, 31, a resident of GN Mills, for furnishing forged documents and bank accounts while applying for renewing her passport.
Based on a complaint from S. Sasikumar, Regional Passport Officer, Coimbatore, the Thudiyalur police registered a case on Friday under Sections 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.
Investigations are under way.
Mr. Sasikumar told The Hindu here on Saturday that this was the first instance of forged documents being submitted in the last one year.
The Regional Passport Office here had put in place a stringent system of checks including online verification, which made it all but impossible to obtain/renew passports with fake documents.
Unlike most government institutions that conducted random checking of documents, the Passport Office ascertained the validity of all documents submitted to them.
The official added that submitting forged documents was a criminal offence under the Passports Act and the applicant was liable to be imprisoned.
Those convicted of submitting forged documents for passport verification would have to obtain clearance from the Centre to apply for passport again.
He also called for stringent legal action against those found preparing such forged documents.
