Thiruvananthapuram has been shaken by a passport fraud case involving a police officer, raising significant national security concerns. Civil Police Officer (CPO) Ansil Azees of Thumba station has been suspended for allegedly forging documents to issue passports to ineligible individuals, including those with criminal backgrounds.
Under Azees’s direction, passports were issued using deceptive methods. Kamalesh, a resident of Manakkad, created and distributed fake identity cards and has been taken into custody. Anzil had been under surveillance for three days prior to his suspension. He is currently absconding and his arrest is expected to happen soon.
The investigation revealed that Azees was at the centre of a scheme allowing undeserving individuals to obtain passports with forged documents. An alert passport officer initially suspected discrepancies in the addresses provided by applicants, prompting a re-verification by the Thumba Police Station House Officer (SHO).
The fraud involved collecting money from individuals seeking passports and using an address within the Thumba police jurisdiction. Fake election cards were created, and passports were applied for using rented house addresses. Azees, responsible for verification, would falsely confirm these addresses, enabling the issuance of numerous fraudulent passports.
Notably, some passports were obtained using the details of a person who died 17 years ago. The group also issued fake identity cards to individuals on the Goonda list. Anzil’s previous commendations, including the DGP’s badge of honor, contrast sharply with his alleged criminal activities.
The police have arrested several individuals involved in the scam. Kamalesh organized the fraudulent activities, while others, including Zafarulla Khan and Altaf Manzil Badaruddin from Kollam, Edward from Mannanthala, and Sunil Kumar from Varkala, have also been detained. Prasanth, directly involved in forging documents, was booked on 16 June 2024.
Kazhakkoottam ACP N Babukuttan confirmed that a case will be registered against Azees, and all passports he verified will undergo scrutiny. The investigation continues to uncover the extent of the fraud, including how many individuals have traveled abroad using these fake passports.
Police officer Ansil Azeez was arrested at Thiruvanthapuram for giving police clearance for the passport application of criminals & those in the Goonda list, taking hefty bribe
Infiltration of Jihadis in Kerala Police was reported years ago, but still no action taken!@NIA_India pic.twitter.com/P8migtmBp6
— നചികേതസ് (@nach1keta) June 17, 2024
The passport office initially detected the fraud on 31 May 2024, leading to the current investigation. Authorities are now focused on ensuring the integrity of the passport verification process and addressing the significant security lapse.
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