Two executive magistrates remanded to CBI custody

AHMEDABAD, AUG 13: Two executive magistrates, arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for their alleged involvement in the fake passport racket, were remanded to CBI custody till August 16 by Special Judge A J Bhatt of the City Sessions Court.

S V Darbar and S V Dixit, executive magistrates of the Ahmedabad Metropolitan area, were produced in the court on Saturday morning by CBI officers. While seeking seven days’ remand for the two, the CBI counsel said about 100 bogus affidavits were seized in the course of investigations and it was found that several of those affidavits bore the signature and seal of these two magistrates. Some of these bogus affidavits were shown to the court. It was also submitted that remand of the officers was required to bring the entire scam to light.

The court, while granting custody, observed that considering the documents produced by the CBI, prima facie it appeared that the two officers had played a role in abetting the alleged crime. Besides, the court observed that the officers were not illiterate.

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The CBI had seized a large number of documents from the offices of travel-agents and touts operating in the regional passport office. During verification of these documents, the agency came across the false affidavits signed by these officers.

With these arrests, the CBI has, so far, nabbed 15 persons. They include five RPO officials, including Superintendent T P Parmar, who was one of the two authorised signatories for passports.