The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has revealed the network for Kabutarbazi in India through its report submitted before the Parliament.

The report said that hundreds of blank passport booklets and thousands of visa stickers were missing from at least 16 missions and posts abroad.

CAG said clearly that the well-organized nexus of local police and several passport offices is working behind the play of ‘kabotarbazi’.

The fake passport centers are mainly based in Delhi and Mumbai. Most importantly, CAG report said about the number of incidents in which lost passports were used by terrorists and criminals.

According to the report, at least 500 passport booklets were missing from Jeddah consulate and the High Commission in Kampala. Further, the consulate in Houston and the embassy in Baghdad have reported about the missing of 400 visa stickers and 40 passports. At least 2,000 visa stickers were also missing from the embassy in Moscow.

The CAG has also reported that hundreds of passports were missing from different passport offices that clearly revealed a close link between police-passport officials in the racket of issuing fake passports.

The Delhi, Mumbai and Bareilly regional passport offices have issued at least 12 passports to people of foreign origin from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka also after the police verification. It shows the involvement of local police in the nexus.

The CBI had detected 275 fake passports during the period 1998-2002 issued by different passport offices across the country. CAG report further blamed the Ministry of External Affairs by stating that it has failed to initiate corrective measures to strengthen its internal checks even when the malpractices in passport matters had been brought to its notice.

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