Fake pass ports among dead AI crash passengers

26.05.10 Mangalore : 9 passengers, out of 158 killed in the recent Bajpe air crash, had fake passports from a “Kasaragod Embassy” that manufactured fake passports in a racket to dupe the Gulf employers and air transporters. The racket is exposed now and claimants have no way getting interim compensation and insurance funds. Even a survivor has this fake passport with him from Kerala. These Kerala passengers have Tamilnadu addresses on the false records.

The top brass in Kasaragod administration are scratching their heads while trying to speed up identification of these crash victims. Their investigation has run in to problems deeper.

SP in Kasaragod district (P. Prakash) is verifying the available documents. He may even stumble upon skilled crooks in the fake passport documents.

Their crime has its beginning in 1980 s when forged travel documents got exchanged for a small sum of Rs. 25,000/-. Later, fake currency notes came in to circulation in 500 and 1000 rupee papers. The Kasaragod Embassy is known to Global Malayalee Foundation based in UAE, Arabian Gulf. Poor casual labourers were victims of a passport racket, according to V. Moolan, GMF chief.

Checking of cash and every document during international travel was difficult, says a senior crime branch official. Even the travel agents could be in the racket, as part of their business. The operators of travel business were also in the Gulf, says a former SP of Kasaragod. ADGP Siby has admitted to the widespread racket in forged documents.