Fake e-passes: Computer centre sealed

Officials from the Revenue Department sealed a computer centre on Kattabomman Street for allegedly issuing fake e-passes, on Monday night.

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TIRUVANNAMALAI: Officials from the Revenue Department sealed a computer centre on Kattabomman Street for allegedly issuing fake e-passes, on Monday night. Materials were seized from the centre and a search is on to nab those who were behind it, sources said.

Another case Officials are also probing into posts regarding quick distribution of e-passes found on the Facebook account of a person.

The account, which was in the name of Vikram Raja, had posts claiming that e-passes would be provided within an hour for destinations such as Bengaluru, Puducherry and Kerala, sources said. Investigation is underway in both these cases, sources added.

E-pass conundrum

• In the Unlock 3.0 guidelines issued by the Central government on July 29, it was notified that separate permission approvals or e-permits will not be required for movement of persons or goods
• A dedicated website has been set up by the State where one needs to fill addresses – where you are travelling from, and where you are travelling to. Along with this, Aadhaar card details are also required to fill the application.
• When the system was first introduced, e-passes were mandatory for all types of travel – intra-district, inter-district, inter-state. In June, the system was relaxed. The State was divided into separate zones (groups of districts) and travel without e-pass was allowed inside these zones. E-pass was mandated only for travel outside a zone. Subsequently, the zone system was done away with, and e-passes were made mandatory for all inter-district travel. Currently, one does not require an e-pass for travel within a district.

‘BLOODTHIRSTY WOLVES’
Recently, a division bench of the Madras High Court, comprising of Justices R Kirubakaran and VM Velumani, took a serious view of the State government’s policy on issuing e-passes. The bench described officials who demand bribe to issue passes as “cut-throat” and “bloodthirsty wolves”.

“It is shocking to hear that officials concerned are exploiting the situation with brokers available for getting e-passes at a cost ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000,” the bench had noted. It also observed, people had been facing difficulties to travel from one district to another, for the past four months. Such corrupt officials need to be dealt with an iron hand, the bench added.