MANGALURU: In a major breach of national security, a suspected Bangladeshi illegal immigrant allegedly obtained an Indian passport allegedly using a police clearance he arranged with the help of a police constable and forged documents, Vitla police have found.
Shakti Das, had been residing within the jurisdiction of Vitla police station for the past eight years. He had documents stating that he is a resident of West Bengal.
Das had initially applied for a passport in February 2025, but the application was rejected for discrepancies in the address mentioned in the application and in official records. However, he submitted a second application in June 2025.
Pradeep, a constable attached to the Vitla police station, allegedly played a key role in the forgery. He allegedly faked a police verification report in Das’ name with a forged signature of beat officer Sabu Mirji and forwarded the file. He is also accused of later destroying records to prevent detection.
Pradeep was arrested and produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody. He has also been placed under suspension, sources said. Das has also been arrested, but the police are yet to confirm his Bangladeshi origin. They are also probing the authenticity of the documents he used.