The Crime Detachment Wing of the police has started an investigation into the incident in which four persons were nabbed by the Immigration Department from the Karipur Airport on Wednesday for forging passports. Three of them changed their date of birth in the passports while the fourth one tried to fly a Gulf country using another person’s passport.
The accused, Malappuram natives Rafeeqali, P V Abdul Salam and Ashraf and Abdul Nasar of Kozhikode, were arrested by the Kondotty police. They were handed over to the Crime Detachment Wing for further investigation.
The accused have given testimony that travel agencies helped them forge the passports. The police have started a probe in that direction. Meanwhile, the Malappuram municipality is drawing flak from various corners over allegations of forging birth records.
One of the standing committee chairmen in the municipality himself disclosed that the municipal councillors have forged documents. A Crime Branch investigation has also been ordered into the scam.
Most of this forged documents are being used for obtaining passports. Several cases in this regard have been registered in the Kondotty Police Station.