
Bidhannagar cops make body cams, CCTV must for passport verification
The move comes at a time when Kolkata Police is investigating a fake passport racket and have arrested a retired sub-inspector for allegedly clearing applications without proper enquiry and adequate verification. Officers said the move will also help them reduce complaints from residents about officers, civic volunteers and middlemen demanding money or harassing applicants in the name of additional documentation.
"Now, all passport verifications are being conducted under body camera surveillance. In the case of home verification, only representatives from the Special Branch are visiting the houses of applicants, and the entire process is being recorded. The footage is being stored until the passport is issued. At police stations, the passport verification process is being conducted strictly under CCTV monitoring with audio recording," said Tauseef Ali Azhar, ADCP SB of Bidhannagar City Police.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting
Luxeartisanship
Buy Now
Undo
"Whenever we receive specific complaints, we take strict action with zero tolerance. In several instances, we initiated departmental enquiries and took disciplinary action against the officers concerned."
The officer added that since May, during passport verification at home, police station, or office, an OTP-based Aadhaar verification system has been introduced through an internal app. "This has made the process more accurate and transparent.
The passport verification now undergoes four-five layers of scrutiny — from the verifying officer to the local IC to the police commissioner — ensuring greater accountability," he said.
The initiative gains significance in light of a racket that allegedly used forged identity documents to secure genuine Indian passports. The case came to light last Sept when the Kolkata Regional Passport Office flagged nearly 240 suspicious passports issued on the basis of faulty documents. A special probe team of Kolkata Police was formed to investigate the scam, and a charge sheet was submitted in March. Investigators found that police allegedly failed to detect forged documents during verification.
On Tuesday, ED carried out raids at multiple locations across Kolkata and its surrounding districts as part of the wider investigation.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
22 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: 6 held for lobbing petrol bomb at realtor's house
In a shocking revelation that underscores the international links of local gang violence, the Dakha police have unearthed a conspiracy to eliminate a Ludhiana-based realtor, allegedly orchestrated by a gangster currently hiding in the United States. The case pertains to a recent petrol bomb and gunfire attack at the house of Yadwinder Singh alias Yadi in Village Baddowal, carried out in the early hours of July 10. The six accused in police custody in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (HT Photo) According to police, six assailants have been arrested in connection with the case, while six others—some with serious criminal backgrounds—are still absconding. The arrested accused include - Harshpreet Singh Bhullar alias Harsh of Deep Nagar of Patiala, Dhruv Thakur of Jagdish Colony Patiala, Ekjot Singh of Adarsh Colony of Bhadson Road of Patiala, Gurinder Brar alias Guriof Nihal Singh Wala of Moga, Baljinder Singh of Bhamma Landa village of Moga and Amrik Singh of Jawahar Singh Wala village of Ferozepur. The Police have recovered two vehicles used in the crime, along with petrol bombs. Matter stems from a property dispute: Cops Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Dakha Varinder Singh Khosa, confirmed that the crime was not a random act but a carefully plotted assault, stemming from a land dispute between Yadwinder Singh and one Dildar Singh, a resident of Jainpur village. The latter allegedly reached out to an infamous gangster Kunwarveer Singh—currently hiding in the US—to arrange the attack. 'This case exposes how local land disputes are now being escalated into full-blown international criminal conspiracies,' said DSP Khosa. 'Dildar Singh contacted Kunwarveer Singh in the US, who in turn recruited assailants including Harshpreet Bhullar, Sahil Malhotra, Sahil alias Matru, and Riaz to execute the attack.' The attack was executed with alarming precision. On the intervening night of July 9 and 10, the accused hurled a petrol bomb at Yadwinder Singh's residence in Baddowal. As the victim came out to investigate, the attackers opened fire. Although Yadwinder miraculously escaped. The attackers filmed the entire act on their mobile phones before fleeing the scene. Six accused still on the run According to police, the assailants used a stolen Hyundai i20 for the attack. The vehicle was procured by Ekjot Singh and was under his possession for 15 days prior to the incident. After executing the plan, the gang abandoned the car near a petrol pump in a bid to mislead the police. The vehicle was then moved by another accused, Dhruv Thakur, along with an accomplice identified as Jazzy. Later, three others—Gurinder Brar, Baljinder Singh, and Amrik Singh—picked up the shooters in a Mahindra Scorpio and provided them with shelter. Among the accused still on the run are Dildar Singh, proclaimed offender and US-based gangster Kunwarveer Singh, Sahil Malhotra, Sahil alias Matru, Riaz from Patiala, and Jazzy. The DSP confirmed that the FIR, originally lodged under sections 125 (acts that endanger human life or personal safety due to rashness or negligence) and 326 (offense of mischief by injury, inundation, fire, or explosive substance) of the BNS, sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act, has now been expanded with the inclusion of additional sections 109 (attempt to murder), 249 (offence of harbouring an offender), 3 (5) (common intention) of BNS. 'This is not just a local crime. The involvement of a gangster sitting in the US raises serious questions about the extent of foreign influence on Punjab's gangland activities. We are coordinating with higher authorities and cyber units to trace communications and financial links involved in this attack,' Khosa added.


Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump vs Columbia: Ivy league school to pay $200 million in landmark settlement; campus protests curbed
Columbia University will now be paying more than $220 million along with making major policy changes as part of a settlement with the Trump administration. The deal follows allegations of civil rights violations and claims the university failed to protect Jewish students from discrimination, as reported exclusively by the New York Post. The Ivy League university will also be subjected to federal oversight, with independent monitoring in place to ensure it adheres to merit-based admissions and hiring processes. The agreement follows four months of negotiations and comes amid mounting pressure on elite universities like Harvard, which has taken the administration to court over the loss of $2.6 billion in funding linked to similar issues. As part of the settlement, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government to resolve discrimination claims and a further $20 million to Jewish staff who were reportedly targeted during anti-semitic protests on campus in the wake of the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. The Trump administration is touting the payout as the largest of its kind in nearly two decades under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. As per a source cited by the New York Post, when the government pulled $400 million from Columbia in March, it put billions more in research and other funding at risk. The deal mandates that Columbia dismantle any programmes that discriminate based on race, bringing it in line with the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that banned race-based affirmative action. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola It will also create new faculty positions aimed at boosting intellectual diversity and overhaul its approach to discipline, removing oversight from the faculty senate and placing it under the Provost's Office. The settlement includes strong security provisions too. Columbia must coordinate with the NYPD to prevent incidents like the 2024 occupation of Hamilton Hall and impose a blanket ban on masked protests. Disciplinary action has already been taken, with dozens of students suspended, penalised, or expelled over recent anti-Israel demonstrations. In a further move likely to fuel debate, the university's admissions office will now vet international applicants more closely, requiring them to disclose their reasons for studying in the US, data that will be shared with federal authorities. Columbia will also report disciplinary actions for visa-holding students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) and reduce reliance on international enrolment. Several academic departments and international centres, including the Center for Palestine Studies and the Middle East Institute, will now come under close scrutiny by a newly created senior vice provost role, aimed at ensuring ideological balance and compliance with federal rules. The school will also align with Title IX standards by ending policies that allow biological men to compete in women's sports or use women's facilities. Most of the $400 million in previously frozen federal funding will be restored once Columbia meets all conditions of the agreement. The resolution will remain in effect for three years, with a compliance monitor issuing twice-yearly updates on progress. 'This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty,' said acting president Claire Shipman. 'The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest.' Leaked details from the talks suggest that Columbia agreed to release internal admissions and hiring data and accept the $200 million fine to avoid further loss of research funding. In March, the White House issued nine key demands as a prerequisite for federal support, including enforcement of institutional neutrality and academic diversity. The final deal explicitly bans the use of diversity narratives or racial identity statements in applications, in a move likely to send ripples through higher education. The conflict has led to dramatic leadership changes at Columbia. President Minouche Shafik stepped down in August 2024 amid escalating protests. Her interim successor, Katrina Armstrong, was removed just seven months later after publicly supporting the administration's mask ban, while privately assuring faculty she wouldn't enforce it. She has now been replaced by Shipman, whose past private messages questioning fears of anti-semitism and pushing to remove the only Jewish board member and quick appointment of an 'Arab' member instead,have triggered a congressional investigation. Republican lawmakers are currently reviewing whether new laws are needed to hold university leadership more accountable, amid growing concerns over campus anti-semitism and ideological bias.


Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Murder in Civil Lines: Man slits mother-in-law's throat over unpaid Rs 5L Loan
Nagpur: A woman's body was found lying in a pool of blood with her throat slit near Indira Convent School in the city's posh Civil Lines area on Wednesday afternoon. The victim, Maya Paserkar, 58, a domestic worker from Jawahar Colony, was killed by her son-in-law, Mustafa Khan, 22, after she failed to repay Rs 5 lakh loan, said police. Maya's step-daughter, Geeta alias Muskan Parsekar, has also been named in the FIR for planning the murder. The couple was arrested within four hours of the crime. The chilling crime unfolded after Khan, a Haryana native working at an MIDC-based company, bought a vegetable knife in Hingna to kill Maya, if she refused to repay the loan. Khan had lent Rs 5 lakh to Maya in multiple instalments, believing her claims that the money was needed for her husband's medical treatment. Khan was desperate to recover the loan to cover his rent and settle grocery bills, as creditors had cut him off. CCTV footage reviewed by the crime branch, with key inputs from constable Suresh Telewar, revealed Khan was trailing Maya while she was walking from Ahimsa Square towards Law College Square. The footage captured Khan, dressed in a red shirt and black trousers, following a wary Maya, who frequently glanced over her shoulder. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Near a boundary wall, partially obscured by a tree, Khan grabbed her and slit her throat before fleeing. Maya, dressed in an orange saree, collapsed and succumbed to her injuries. Sources revealed Muskan, daughter of Maya's husband's first wife, played a critical role in the crime. Muskan, who was Khan's third wife, allegedly advised him to cover his face before the attack to avoid identification. But a team led by assistant police inspector Gajanan Chambhare, with head constable Sunil Kuwar and others, nabbed Khan in Wanadongri. Earlier in the day, Khan had confronted Maya and demanded the money. When she suggested borrowing Rs 9,000 from a moneylender at Rs 1,000 monthly interest — expecting Khan to cover the interest — it infuriated him. This was the murder trigger, say police. Zonal DCP Nityanand Jha confirmed that CCTV evidence was pivotal in reconstructing the sequence of events. "The accused trailed the victim and attacked her on the footpath. We're investigating all angles, including domestic disputes," Jha said. Despite intermittent rainfall, forensic teams worked swiftly to preserve evidence, shielding bloodstains from being washed away. Items recovered included a broken blue bangle, a slipper, and Maya's glasses. ACP Sudhir Nandanwar noted the challenges posed by rain. "Blood traces and DNA evidence can be compromised, but our team acted promptly." Maya's body was sent to GMCH for autopsy, and the crime scene remains sealed as police gather witness statements.