Chandigarh, Feb 29: Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested three top officials of Jalandhar’s Regional Passport Office 12 days ago & FIR pointed out shoddy corrupt practices being adopted by top officials to siphon money from gullible applicants.
The FIR also unearthed an “unholy” nexus between officials and agents working outside Jalandhar’s passport office near the local bus stand as on February 16 & in raids in officials’ residences recovered ₹20 lakh and multiple incriminating documents.
The CBI even attached detailed relevant transcripts of the recordings, following which the raiding team got the green signal to initiate raids at the passport office on February 16 in FIR.
In the conversation, which was brought on record in the FIR, the accused could be heard asking for the bribe of ₹25,000 for issuance of his grandson’s passport.
The officers posted at the Regional Passport Office were under the radar for the past six months as several complaints of alleged negligence and corruption were filed against them with the ministry of external affairs.
Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal had earlier on on February 8 written to the Union external affairs ministry and submitted multiple complaints of passport officers harassing people for issuance of passports.
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