New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked 24 persons comprising government officials and private individuals for allegedly issuing passports to ineligible persons, including non-residents, using forged documents, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying. The CBI is carrying out searches at 50 locations in West Bengal and Gangtok. They said that an official in Gangtok and a middleman have been detained by the CBI.


They said that the FIR mentions 24 individuals including 16 officials who were allegedly giving passports to ineligible persons using forged documents in exchange for bribes. They said that the searches are taking place in Kolkata, Siliguri, Gangtok, and other places.