Police seek passport cancellation of criminal
BHUBANESWAR: THE Commissionerate Police will request the Regional Passport Office here seeking cancellation of passport of a citizen having criminal antecedents. The resident of Chandrasekharpur, who is known by his nick name in the area, had applied for passport under ‘tatkal’ category in 2017. However, the Ministry of External Affairs in 2018 had issued an order ending the physical verification by police at the applicant’s residence. The traditional practice of police verification involved a visit to the residence of the applicant and inquiry about the criminal background.
“In February, 2019, the verification of the person’s passport was completed and there was no suspicion as he had mentioned his formal name in his application,” said an officer of Chandrasekharpur police station. Sources said Chandrasekharpur police had earlier registered two miscellaneous cases against him. One case was registered before 2019 and another after his passport verification was completed. Since the applicant’s address could not be verified, police were not able to realize that he has criminal antecedents. “Police have received information that an accused has managed to get the passport. A letter will be written to the Regional Passport Office requesting it to cancel his passport,” said Additional CP Anup Kumar Sahoo.