CBI court convicts cop, government official, seven others in 2010 fake passport scam

The documents were received by a postman NV Selvadurai of Begumpur post office in Dindigul and handed over to the touts with forged postal delivery slips.

MADURAI: The Special Court for CBI cases has convicted nine persons including an assistant passport officer (APO) and a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in the fake passport scam case registered by the agency in 2010.

According to sources, H Geetha Bai, an APO in the Madurai passport office, was responsible for issuing tatkal passports. She, along with assistant P Durairaj (who is no more) and an office assistant S Anbalagan had entered into criminal conspiracy with touts M Ibrahim Meeran and B Bakruddin alias Babu and two more persons — AS Shajahan and Zunitha Banu.

They created fake documents including voter identity cards, driving licence, ration cards, etc for 22 applicants, including a Sri Lankan, under fictitious names and addresses. The documents were received by a postman NV Selvadurai of Begumpur post office in Dindigul and handed over to the touts with forged postal delivery slips.

Two more persons - a junior assistant in the Foreigners Registration Bureau in the Dindigul SP office S Suresh Babu and DSP A Thangavel (then inspector) helped them in the police verification process.

The scam came to light during a surprise check conducted by the anti corruption branch of CBI on February 4, 2010. A case was registered against 34 persons, including the 22 applicants and the aforementioned persons. Since the applicants were absconding, the case against them was split into a separate one and is still pending.

The case against Durairaj stood abated following his death in November 2015 and two advocates, who were also booked in the case, were discharged following an order passed by the high court in 2014 and 2017.

On December 24, II Additional District Judge (CBI cases), Madurai found the remaining nine persons guilty. While Selvadurai, Babu, Bakruddin and Shajahan were sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment, Geetha Bai, Meeran, Banu got three years jail and Anbalagan and Thangavel were sentenced to two years. They were also imposed with fines ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the charges.