Man held in Kolkata for using fake Bihar birth certificate to get Indian Passport

Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested a man named Azad Alam from the Garden Reach area for allegedly applying for an Indian passport using a fake birth certificate issued in Bihar. The arrest was made by officers of the Security Control Organisation (SCO), who flagged the document during routine passport verification procedures.

According to police, the birth certificate submitted by Alam was found to be forged after verification. During interrogation, he admitted that the fake certificate had been arranged with the help of an agent based in Bihar. The SCO has confirmed that a joint investigation with Bihar Police will be initiated, and a special team may be sent to Bihar if required.

Police sources said this is the first known case where a fake birth certificate originating from Bihar has been used in West Bengal for a passport application. The arrest comes amid an ongoing crackdown on fake documentation, particularly those aiding illegal immigration and identity fraud. In recent operations, several individuals, including a retired police sub-inspector, have been arrested for their involvement in similar forgery rackets.

Investigating officers stated that such rackets often assist individuals entering India illegally by preparing fake documents like birth certificates and ration cards. These are then used to create a chain of identity proofs including voter ID cards, PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, and finally, Indian passports. Kolkata Police have intensified monitoring of passport applications and identity documents as part of the operation.