The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a charge sheet against an Assistant Commandant with the Kerala Police, who served as passport officer in Malappuram, and three others on the charge of issuing passports in violation of norms.
The charge sheet, filed at the CBI special court in Kochi, named K. Abdul Rasheed, 55, a native of Velancherry, an Assistant Commandant with the Kerala Police Armed Force who served as passport officer in Malappuram between 2011-13, as the key accused.
The others included as accused are K. Manoj, 57, a senior clerk at the Malappuram passport office, Kamarudheen, 52, of Valluvambram, Malappuram, and Moideen, 46, of Angadippuram, Malappuram, the proprietor of Sultana Tours and Travels.
The accused have been booked under IPC Section 120(B), and Sections 7, 8, 13(2) and 12(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
As per the charge sheet, Abdul Rasheed endorsed several passport applications from his residence and obtained pecuniary advantage from agents. Further, he used to return and revoke faulty passports caught at the airports to the original passport holders without taking legal action.
The guidelines of the Union Ministry of External Affairs stipulate the passport applicants who do not get online appointment at passport seva kendras should visit the passport officer after filing the application online and with the reference number. The passport officer will give appointment to these applicants at the respective passport seva kendras.
However, agents, who colluded with Rasheed for getting passports , visited his house and got the requisite endorsement from there. On a tip-off, CBI sleuths conducted a probe and lodged the case in June 2013.
