Ahmedabad: Immigration officials at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) apprehended a man from Borisana village in Mehsana district for allegedly travelling to the United States and other countries using a forged passport.

The accused, Kanhaiyalal Patel, was detained on July 27 after arriving from Chicago on an Emirates flight. During routine checks, immigration officers found that there was no record of his departure matching the emergency exit certificate he presented.

When questioned, Patel initially claimed he had flown out from Kolkata International Check Post (ICP) in June 2007. Further interrogation revealed that Patel had paid ₹40 lakh to an agent who allegedly arranged the impersonated passport originally issued in the name of Omkar Kongar. The agent also facilitated changes to the name and photograph, enabling Patel to travel abroad.

Later, it was confirmed that the accused had in fact travelled to the US from Kolkata in June 2007 on a Thai Airways flight (TG-314). While in the US, he claimed to have lost the forged passport and subsequently obtained an emergency exit certificate from the Indian embassy to return home.

Police have since registered a case against both Patel and the agent who helped him obtain the fake passport. Further investigation is underway to trace other possible accomplices and verify the full extent of the racket. DeshGujarat