Bengaluru: Shootout case leads police to fake passport racket in Ashoknagar
BENGALURU: The Ashoknagar police, who were probing a shootout case, have unearthed a racket that provided passports by furnishing fake documents. One of the accused in the shootout case confessed that he had gone to Dubai using a passport that was provided by the racketeers. The police have arrested six men, including two contract employees of Bangalore One centres, in this connection.
The accused have been identified as Saleem Sharif, 57, Muneer Ahmed alias Khuram Khan, 45, Mohammed Iliyaz, 40, Mohammed Abdullah, 68, Siddaraju, 40, and Naveen, 21. Among the accused, Khuram Khan was the kingpin of the racket while Saleem Sharif used to bring those who wanted fake passports to Khuram Khan.
Mohammed Iliyaz used to create the fake documents using certain software, while Siddaraju and Naveen, who worked at Bangalore One centres, helped the accused by providing them the logo of voter ID card, Aaadhar card and other ID proofs. All the accused are residents of LIC Colony in Jayanagar and surrounding areas.
The police had arrested four people in connection with a shootout that had taken place in Times Bar and Restaurant in Gold Tower on Residency Road on August 16 night. The assailants had attempted to murder Chethan, one of the owners of the bar, by opening fire at him. Police had arrested four people including Anwar Hasan in the shoot out case.
Two more accused Rakesh alias Althaf, Asgar Ali alias Munna are said to be living in Dubai. Investigations had revealed that Anwar had gone to Dubai to meet Rakesh and Asgar, and had received a supari (contract) from them to eliminate Chethan.
As Anwar had police cases against him in Mangaluru, the investigators grilled him on how he managed to obtain a passport? “Upon questioning he revealed that the two accused settled in Dubai had also used fake passports to leave India and they directed him to one, Nawaz, in Mangaluru to get a fake passport. Nawaz allegedly took him to Saleem Sharif, who in turn introduced him to Khuram Khan, who gave him the fake passport. Based on his information, those involved in the fake passport racket was arrested. We are on the lookout for Nawaz,” the police said.
The accused have confessed that they have issued to fake passports to more than 25 people. “They got the passports by furnishing fake ID proofs such as voter ID, birth certificate, school transfer certificates and other documents. The accused charged between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 from each person to give the passport. Accused Khuram Khan also managed to ensure that there would be no problem during police verification, by putting his men on job. They used to mislead the police by informing that they are neighbours of the passport applicant and the applicant was staying in the particular address from many years,” the police explained.
