India: Police bust gang that issued fake passports, visas for people to illegally enter US

Authorities recover UV light and polymer machines, over 1,200 counterfeit rubber stamps

By ANI

Published: Sat 20 Aug 2022, 4:13 PM

Last updated: Sat 20 Aug 2022, 4:14 PM

Delhi Police have busted a major fake passport and visa racket with the arrest of the mastermind from Mumbai. The arrest was made by the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport unit of Delhi Police. So far, 325 fake passports and 1,200 fake stamps have been recovered in the case.

Tanu Sharma, the DCP (IGI) has informed that the mastermind of the racket, Zakir Yusuf Shaikh has been arrested from Mumbai. DCP also said that Zakir had invested a lot of money in several Marathi web series. So far, a total of five people have been arrested in the case, which also includes one passenger.

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DCP Sharma also gave information about the fake passports and fake visas that have been recovered. She said that 325 fake passports and more than 175 fake visas from Australia, China, and other European countries had been recovered from the possession of those arrested.

"We have recovered 77 bio pages, 12 printers, a polymer stamp machine that helped to change photo accuracy in the passport, and an ultraviolet light machine," she said.

She also said that more than 1,200 rubber stamps from various national and international airports, immigration, and airport authorities have also been recovered. The racketeers were using these to get security clearances.

The racketeers were involved in arranging fake passports and visas. Through this, they facilitated people settling down in the US by illegal means. While Zakir operated from Mumbai, another arrested man named Narayanbhai operated from Gujarat. The racket used to mostly operate in Mumbai and Gujarat only.

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The entire investigation of the fake racket started after a man named Ravi Rameshbhai Chaudhary was deported from Kuwait in June earlier this year. He was arrested after the authorities found him to have a fake passport.

After that, he was handed over to IGI Police for further investigation, and a case too was lodged against him. Ravi disclosed that he came in contact with some agents, namely Narayanbhai, Zakir Yusuf Shaikh, and Mushtaq. All three were residents of Gujarat and Mumbai.