PANAJI
The Regional Passport Office (RPO), Panaji and Goa Police have initiated an inquiry into the issuance of Indian Passports to three Bangladesh nationals, who obtained the travel document by submitting false credentials.
Five Bangladeshis, who illegally entered India through Siliguri in West Bengal, were arrested by the Pune police for illegally obtaining Indian Passports. Of these, three were already issued passports from RPO Panaji.
Rocky Barua (28 years), Jaydhan Barua (28), Ankur Barua (26), Ratul Barua (28) and Rana Barua (25), all originally hailing from Chittagong district in Bangladesh, are currently in police remand with Goa Police likely to seek their custody for interrogation.
“The RPO is coordinating with Goa police in this matter,” a senior officer in the Ministry of External Affairs told 'The Goan', confirming the alleged flaw in the process. A police officer too ascertained the offence, stating they would soon approach the Pune police for sharing of information.
“We might register a fresh offence in Goa based on what our inquiry reveals. For now, we will seek permission from our higher-ups to coordinate with the Pune police for investigation,” the officer said. The police report will also be sent to the RPO Panaji for further necessary action.
The matter came to light when intelligence agencies in Maharashtra found some Bangladeshis living in Pune illegally. During an inquiry, five of them were found to have been illegally issued Passports, while two were in the process of obtaining them.
“They certainly wanted to flee to another country. Our interrogation will reveal more… Their documents and the temporary premises they were living in, including their friends' circle, call details, etc are under investigation,” an official in Pune police told 'The Goan'.
The accused have confessed to the police that they were issued the passport after they illegally crossed the borders through an agent.
The incident has brought back the focus on illegal Bangladeshis living in the country, including Goa. The Anti-Terrorist Squad and the local police arrested several immigrants in 2022 only to allegedly cease the raids subsequently.
