Clean chit to NRI raises doubts
Sunday, 21/04/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130421/punjab.htm#7
Moga : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Moga passport scam has given a clean chit to a US-based Punjabi NRI facing charges of getting a passport on forged documents. The move has raised doubts on the credibility of the probe.
The SIT has submitted an application in the District and Sessions Court here to absolve the NRI of the charges. The court has fixed April 27 as the next date of hearing.
The trial of the case was shifted to Moga from Faridkot last year after the formation of a sessions division here.
As per the details, Atma Singh, son of Gurmej Singh of Rahon village in Nawanshahr, was arrested from the IGI Airport, New Delhi, in January this year on his arrival from the US. He allegedly got a passport issued in 2006 on forged residence certificate of Baghapurana town in Moga in connivance with local authorities.
After getting bail, Atma Singh filed an application before the DIG, Ferozepur range, to reinvestigate his case on the plea that he did not use a fake passport to go abroad claiming that he had another passport. The DIG then ordered a probe.
The officer who reinvestigated the case gave a clean chit to Atma Singh, admitting to the latter’s plea that he did not use a fake passport to go abroad but remained silent on why he used forged documents to get another passport. It raises doubts on the credibility of the probe since Atma Singh did commit an offence.
Atma reportedly first went to Germany with the help of some travel agents and from there he managed to move to the US. He was granted a US citizenship after a few years.
During the ongoing investigations for the past over five years, at least 300 fake passports were detected, which were made by forging documents.
Moga Passport Scam: Case History
- An FIR was registered in the case in July 2008
- Three policemen Jaswinder Singh, Ranjit Singh and Gurdial Singh, MC employee Ranjit Singh, postman Om Prakash, and former passport office employee Didar Singh were named in the scam
- During the investigations, more than 350 cases related to fake passports came up before the police
- Policemen posted between 1995 and 2008 in the passport/security branch in Moga allegedly prepared fake verification documents and tampered with the official records in connivance with travel agents and RPO employees
- More than 300 lookout notices were issued against NRIs who allegedly used fake passports to go abroad
- At least, 100 persons have been arrested in the case so far
