ED raids Beck Bagan area in Kolkata, other districts in Fake Passport case

On the very first day of the Bengali New Year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified its investigation into the growing fake passport scam in West Bengal. Early Tuesday morning, ED officials launched coordinated searches across eight locations in the state, targeting areas like Beck Bagan in Kolkata, Birati in North 24 Parganas, and Gede in Nadia.

The investigation focuses on agents who played a central role in preparing and distributing fake passports. According to sources, these agents are being thoroughly scrutinized to determine the extent of their network and how deep their operations run—especially across border regions.

This crackdown comes shortly after the Lalbazar Detective Branch filed a comprehensive 130-page chargesheet last month in the fake passport case. The chargesheet named 130 accused individuals, 120 of whom are reportedly Bangladeshi nationals currently on the run. Only 10 have been arrested so far, including controversial names such as former police officer Abdul Hai, Samaresh Biswas, his son Ripon Biswas, and three others.

The ED has now taken over the financial angle of the investigation, digging deeper into how the Bangladeshi infiltrators obtained fake Indian passports. Officials revealed that many passports were created using forged documents in border areas, with agents charging hefty sums for the illegal service.

One of the primary focuses of Tuesday’s raids was a residence in Birati, belonging to an individual recently returned from abroad. ED officers are examining his passport and questioning him about the documents used for its creation. If any irregularities are found, the person may be taken into custody for further interrogation.