MLA Bains conducts sting op on travel agent, passport office staff

LUDHIANA: As part of the series of sting operations and exposes against corruption in government offices,

Lok Insaaf Party

chief and

Atam Nagar MLA Simarjit Singh Bains

, on Tuesday, exposed the alleged travel agent nexus in the Passport office, Ludhiana.

Acting on the complaint of city resident Jaswinder Singh, Bains conducted a sting operation on a travel agent who charged Rs 13,000 from him for fixing an appointment for tatkal passport after he was allegedly sent to the travel agent by passport office staff.

After recovering the same currency notes (number of which was already noted down by complainant) from the travel agent, Bains asked officials at the passport office how the complainant was given an appointment without the online system put in place by the ministry of external affairs.

He also called the regional passport officer (RPO), Chandigarh and apprised him of the situation. The RPO assured Bains he would visit Ludhiana on September 1 and investigate the case. Staff at the passport office on the other hand, denied having any connection with the travel agent in question.

Speaking to TOI, Bains said, “I was approached by the complainant sometime back. He informed me that he was to go to

Bahrain

and after getting police verification done, he visited the passport office to get an appointment for tatkal passport. But he was refused appointment and instead advised by the front desk staff to approach the travel agent near the office, who sought Rs 25,000 fees for appointment. After negotiations, the deal was struck for Rs 13,000. After payment and a card of receipt of unofficial fees by the agent, passport office staff immediately gave him an appointment.”

Bains said the matter has been brought to the attention of the RPO and they have demanded registration of an FIR against people involved in the passport appointment scam. “This is a very big scam and threatens national security as well because anti-national elements like terrorists and hardcore criminals can get their passport made simply by paying corrupt staff at this passport office,” he said.

Bains streamed the entire operation live on his Facebook page, getting more than 2.10 lakh views on one of the videos and thousands of comments and likes. He also received a number of calls from foreign countries and local residents after his sting. A large number of people lodged complaints with him, accusing passport office staff and agents of fleecing them to get passports made.

"We are probing the matter and if involvement of any of the staff is found in the complaint lodged by MLA Bains strict action would be taken against the guilty," said Satpal Singh, assistant passport officer, Ludhiana.

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