Official under CBI scanner for issuing passports to Lankans

The agency has registered a case naming the official, a senior superintendent of Regional Passport Kendra, Madurai, and a travel agent among others. The accused official was identified as V Veeraputhiran, senior superintendent of Passport Seva Kendra.

According to the CBI, the official allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with one S Ramesh, listed as second accused in its FIR, and other unknown persons operating as travel agents in Madurai in 2019-20. The agency said Veeraputhiran demanded and accepted undue pecuniary advantage for fraudulent issuance of Indian passports to Sri Lankans and others who were not otherwise eligible. Investigators said the Passport official knew very well that the persons brought by the travel agents were not eligible for Indian passport, as they were not citizens of the country. However, he still went ahead and issued them the document after collecting money through the agents.

From June to September 2019, while working as the Granting Officer at Passport Seva Kendra, Tirunelveli, Veeraputhiran had allegedly demanded and accepted Rs 45,000 from Ramesh, which was deposited to his savings bank account in three instalments. The agency has registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act and also under IPC Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy).