Revealed: Passport of Hyderabad blast accused has Mangalore address
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Jun 11: It has been found that Ibrahim, allegedly linked with the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen and an accused in the bomb blast that took place in Hyderabad in February this year, possesses a passport issued about three years ago with a fake residential address in Mangalore.
The NIA team that has been carrying out the investigation in this regard has arrived in Mangalore and collected his photo and address through the local police passport division. Investigation of the police constable who verified the passport without proper address and personnel verification, is on.
The bomb blast had killed 17 and injured 119. Ibrahim, the prime accused in this case, has a passport with an address in Bendoorwell, issued in 2010.
These details came to light during the investigation of the two arrested in relation to this case - Makhbul and Imran Khan.
As per rules, the police are required to visit the residence of the person who has applied for the passport and take photo there. They also have to get confirmation from their neighbours. The policeman who was to verify his passport claimed that he had visited the residence and carried out the verification. The inspector has signed the passport verification forms.
Terrorist Sleeping Cell
Four terrorists were taken into custody in ‘Operation Terror’ from Ullal in Mangalore in 2008, and it had also come to light that a terror outfit named Indian Mujahideen (IM) had been operating. The alleged founders of IM, Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal, managed to escape twice from the hands of the police in Mangalore and Koppala Hakkalamane. The explosives used for the Surat and Hyderabad blast were said to be supplied from Chombugudde of Ullal. Though the police are aware of the details regarding the operation of terror sleeping cells in the coastal belt, some officials, due to negligence and some for the sake of money, seemed to have allegedly issued them verification certificates for their passports.
“There are nearly 7-8 passport applications for verification every day. The police inspector cannot visit every spot and get it checked. This work is always done by the police constables. I am not aware how this incident has taken place,” said a Kadri police inspector, who was on duty at that time.
Police Investigation
The police department has begun the investigation of the police constable involved in the matter. Police commissioner Manish Karbekar says that the police have to check whether the address given by the applicant of the passport is genuine or not. “If he has done any mistake in this procedure, it is clear that he has failed in his duty. But we have not received any authorized information of his involvement in the case, or why and how the ACP has issued the notice to the police constable,” he said.