‘Biggest’ fake passport, visa racket busted; 4 arrested

Mastermind of the racket finances movies and web series in Mumbai

August 21, 2022 01:21 am | Updated 04:16 am IST - New Delhi:

The airport unit of the Delhi police busted one of the biggest fake passport and visa racket by arresting four agents.

The airport unit of the Delhi police busted one of the biggest fake passport and visa racket by arresting four agents. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The airport unit of the Delhi police busted one of the biggest fake passport and visa racket by arresting four agents, including the mastermind.

The accused have been identified as Jamil Picturewala alias Mushtaq, 33, Zakir Yusuf Sheikh, 46, Imtiaz Ali Sheikh and Sanjay Duttaram Chavan, 58, the police said.

A passenger, who was deported from Kuwait, was also nabbed, they said, adding that 325 Indian passports, four international passports, 175 forged visas of different countries, over 1,200 immigration stamps, etc were recovered from their possession.

Man deported

On June 6, Ravi Rameshbhai Chaudhary was deported from Kuwait who was carrying a fake and fabricated passport with him. A case under relevant sections was registered, the police said.

During investigation, Chaudhary was arrested and he disclosed that he came in contact with agents Narayanbhai, Zakir Yusuf Shaikh and Mushtaq, all residents of Gujarat and Mumbai, the police said.

Initially, it was assured to Chaudhary by local agent Narayanbhai in Gujarat that he can arrange a fake passport and visa for him in lieu of ₹65 lakh and shared the contacts of his accomplices – Zakir Yusuf Sheikh and Mushtaq – based in Mumbai. The deal was finalised at ₹65 lakh and Chaudhary paid ₹15 lakh in advance to Narayanbhai, a senior police officer said.

Human trafficking racket

Narayanbhai told Chaudhary to contact Sheikh and Mushtaq who operate a human trafficking racket from Delhi and Mumbai. Chaudhary sent his photograph and signature to Mushtaq. After receiving his photo and signature, Mushtaq arranged a fake passport. Thereafter, a fake visa of Netherlands was also arranged by the alleged agents, the officer said.

The rest of the money was to be handed over to Narayanbhai by the family of the passenger on his arrival in the U.S., the police said.

Mushtaq, nabbed from Mumbai, disclosed that he was working with Sheikh, who is the mastermind of this entire racket. He further disclosed that they used to procure fake passports and other incriminating materials from Imtiaz and Chavan, both residents of Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Tanu Sharma said.

Later, a raid was conducted at Madh, Mumbai and Sheikh was apprehended on Tuesday. On his instance, Imtiaz and Chavan were also arrested from Andheri West and Chuna Bhatti Mumbai, the DCP said.

The mastermind

Sheikh was the mastermind of the entire racket. Having links with almost all of the agents in India, he used to procure passports, fabricated visas and other travelling documents from Imtiaz and Chavan. He finances movies and web series in Mumbai, the police said.

Imtiaz is in the business of making forged travel documents from last ten years along with Chavan. Earlier, they used to make these documents for one Rake in Mumbai, but after his death during the COVID-19 pandemic, they started operating directly with agents, the police said. 

They used to procure the raw materials from Chennai and other parts of the country and had an expertise in making fake passports and visas, the police said.

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