New Delhi (November 3, UNI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting search operations at the premises of Biplab Sarkar, suspected of being involved in a fraudulent passport issuance ring linked to Pakistani national Azad Mallik.
Sarkar’s name emerged during the interrogation of Indubhushan Halder, a middleman arrested for helping foreigners obtain Indian identity documents, such as passports, in exchange for money. The family members of Biplab Sarkar are also under scrutiny for allegedly being involved in the same activities, an ED official told UNI.
The ED had previously arrested Indubhushan Halder, also known as Dullal, on October 13 in the case involving Azad Hussain, also known as Ajad Mallik or Ahammed Hossain Azad. Halder was produced before a Special PMLA Court in Bichar Bhavan, and the ED was granted five days of custodial remand. The current raids aim to gather more evidence and apprehend other accused individuals.
The current raids aim to gather additional evidence and apprehend other accused individuals.
The ED initiated its investigation based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Ajad Mallik under Sections 14 and 14A of the Foreigners Act by the West Bengal Police.
The investigation was initiated following a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the West Bengal Police against Ajad Mallik under Sections 14 and 14A of the Foreigners Act. Probe findings revealed that Azad Hussain, a Pakistani national, was residing in India under the assumed identity of Azad Mallik, son of Mona Mallik. He was involved in fraudulently obtaining Indian identity documents for illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in exchange for money.
Azad Hussain was arrested on April 15 and is currently in judicial custody.
The ED investigation further revealed that Azad Hussain referred Bangladeshi clients seeking Indian passports to Indubhushan Halder, a resident of Chakdah, Nadia.
Halder played a pivotal role in facilitating the issuance of Indian passports for these Bangladeshi nationals by creating forged documents for the applications, thereby generating proceeds of crime. Through his close association with Ajad Mallik, Halder has been linked to facilitating passports through illegal means in approximately 250 cases so far.
Earlier, anticipatory bail pleas filed by Halder were rejected by the court. The ED has also filed a chargesheet under Section 44 read with Section 45 of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA) on June 13.
