PIL filed in HC over illegal passports issued to foreigners

A PIL has been moved in Delhi High Court alleging that Indian passports are being "illegally" issued across the country on a "mass scale".

New Delhi, Dec 18: A PIL has been moved in Delhi High Court alleging that Indian passports are being "illegally" issued across the country on a "mass scale" to foreigners, especially to Afghans, Nepalese and Bangladeshis, on the basis of "bogus" police reports.

The plea, alleging that "false police verification reports have been issued by Special Branch of Delhi Police and other police departments across the country", was listed for hearing on December 16 before a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal.

However, the matter could not be taken up as the judges were not available that day and was posted for hearing on March 31. The petition by an NGO claimed that it wrote to the National Security Advisor, Research and Analysis Wing, Intelligence Bureau and CBI regarding the issue, but did not receive any reply from them.

The NGO, Paardarshita Public Welfare Foundation, has sought an investigation into the matter and action against all those government officials and private persons involved in the alleged illegal issuance of Indian passports.

Such incidents had nesseciated the intoduction of e-passports, which may soon become reality. The e-passport which would contain an electronic chip and enhanced security features was announced earlier this year. This high security passport is likely to be implemented soon as the tender process for the same has already begun.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh had in July said that government was in the process of introducing e-passports, which would contain bio-metric details to curb the menace of fake passports.

PTI