Bengal Businessman’s 900 Bangkok Trips Spark Deep Fake Passport Probe

A bizarre case out of West Bengal has caught the attention of federal investigators after it was found that a local businessman made an astonishing number of visits to Bangkok over the past decade, nearly 900 trips according to officials. This has triggered a detailed probe by the Enforcement Directorate into whether the travels were linked to a fake passport racket and other illegal activities.

The businessman, identified as Vinod Gupta from the Khardah area of North 24 Parganas, is believed to have travelled abroad almost twice every week for about ten years. Investigators say this frequency of travel is extremely unusual for someone in the transport and spice trading business, which Gupta claims was the reason behind his journeys. The Enforcement Directorate is now trying to understand why these trips happened so frequently and whether they were genuine or connected to fraud.

During recent searches at Gupta’s residence and other linked locations in the state, officials seized documents and computers that could be crucial to understanding the bigger picture. The suspicion is that fake passports, forged visas, and shell companies might have been used to facilitate various activities including questionable foreign exchange dealings and possible money laundering. Some sources even suggest links to wider networks that could involve illegal remittances being sent out of the country.

The fake passport issue came to light after local police began investigations late last year. They started uncovering a web of corruption around passport applications, including questionable online centers allegedly operating outside official channels. After several arrests and extensive questioning, the case was handed over to the Enforcement Directorate due to suspected money laundering and financial fraud angles.

Officials also conducted raids in Nadia district and along the India Bangladesh border region after linking other suspects and middlemen to the alleged fake passport network. Some individuals were detained for questioning, and investigations are still ongoing to connect more details between the foreign travels, passport fraud, and possible financial crimes.

Gupta, during interrogation, said his frequent travel was related to his business interests including spice exports and foreign exchange dealings. However, investigators are not fully convinced and are carefully examining travel records, financial statements, and passport documents to identify any inconsistencies or clear signs of wrongdoing.

The probe highlights growing concerns about misuse of travel documents and potential loopholes in border systems, especially when linked with financial irregularities. As the Enforcement Directorate continues its investigation, more revelations could surface if larger networks are involved.