Kolkata man, 28, arrested in major passport scam for using fake documents, 73 affected

Palash Biswas, aged 28, was arrested by Madhyamgram Police on January 20, 2025, in connection with a large-scale passport fraud operation. Biswas, a resident of Ghosh Bagan Lane, Kolkata, is one of 73 individuals implicated in obtaining passports through the use of forged documents. Biswas was arrested around 8:40 PM from the I/O’s room of Madhyamgram Police Station, after investigators found discrepancies in his application and supporting documents.

Authorities discovered that the address listed in Biswas's passport application, along with other KYC documents, was non-existent. Further investigation revealed that Biswas had used fabricated identification documents to secure his passport. These falsified documents, which included proof of identity and address, were processed through official channels, raising concerns about the security and verification process involved in passport issuance.

During his detention, Biswas reportedly gave misleading statements and did not provide any substantive details about the fraud. Authorities have identified that his passport, along with others obtained through similar means, was issued by submitting fraudulent information to authorities. The police are now expanding their investigation to determine how these fake documents were processed and distributed, with several additional individuals under scrutiny for their involvement in the passport scam.