Passport under scrutiny but businessman still travels abroad

“But the businessman continues to possess the passport and has even travelled to various countries,” said a police officer. But the police themselves have failed to initiate an inquiry against the officer who issued the verification as he has since retired from the services.

Police sources said CID officials in Chandigarh had recently again written a letter to the passport officer in Chandigarh about the case and the Regional Passport Office has decided to request all the passport control points in the country to impound his passport.

“We will ensure that his passport is impounded as soon as possible,” said a senior police officer in the CID. Even as police maintain that it is the only such case,locals residents question the way the police and the passport officials have handled the case.

“It shows the chinks in various security grids. If a businessman can manage to get a police verification despite a case against him,it means any one can manage any thing. The case shows serious lapses have taken place. Police need to question those who at first issued the verification,” said a local resident. “The passport office also needs to see why the businessman’s passport was not impounded.”