Latest news with #PassportsAct
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
Regular passports valid, touts spreading fake info: RPO chief
Pune: Passport agents and touts are exploiting the launch of e-passports to spread false information that regular passports are no longer valid, said Arjun Deore, regional passport officer at Pune RPO, on vested interests trying to drum up unnecessary business, there have been instances where citizens were misled into believing they need to replace their existing valid passports immediately with e-passports."There is misinformation circulating among people. Citizens with passports valid for several years are being told that their documents are no longer valid because 'passport' offices are now issuing e-passports. There are vested interests — certain agents who want to generate new applicants — who are spreading this kind of misinformation," said warning comes as Pune RPO (regional passport office) has now transitioned to issuing only e-passports since the first week of May 2025, making it one of the major passport offices in India to implement the new technology under the Passport Seva Programme 2.0. "All passports that we have been issuing since the first week of May are e-passports," Deore Pune RPO chief emphasised that citizens should not fall for these misleading claims. "Unless your passport is damaged or invalid, it remains perfectly acceptable for use. Only those who genuinely need new passports — those with expired passports, exhausted pages or damaged documents — should apply. Citizens should not apply merely for the novelty of having an e-passport," he per the ministry of external affairs, all regular passports issued under the previous Passport Seva Programme 1.0 remain completely valid and can continue to be used for travel purposes, subject to normal validity periods and other provisions under the Passports Act, e-passport rollout at Pune RPO is part of a nationwide expansion of the technology, which was initially piloted in smaller offices in Nagpur and Bhubaneswar last year before being extended to major regional the digital nomenclature, e-passports are still physical booklets identical to regular passports, with one crucial addition — an embedded RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that stores passport data securely."The term e-passport does not mean it can be downloaded to a mobile phone or any digital device. It remains a physical booklet. The only difference is that it contains an embedded chip," explained Deore. The booklet features a distinctive chip logo on the front cover though the actual chip is located on a different page chip technology, similar to that used in debit cards, enables automated identity verification at immigration counters and significantly enhances security by making tampering extremely RPO wins national awardRegional Passport Office, Pune, received the first prize for "innovative steps and citizen-centric initiatives" during the recent Passport Seva Divas celebration. Minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita presented the award to Arjun Deore, regional passport its notable achievements, Pune RPO became the first passport office to install an 80kW rooftop solar plant in Jan 2025 under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, generating 25% of its monthly electricity needs and saving Rs1 lakh per month.
Online Citizen
6 days ago
- Online Citizen
Singapore man charged for allegedly making drug-laced vapes at home in first local case
SINGAPORE: A 41-year-old man who allegedly manufactured drug-laced electronic vaporisers in his Yishun flat has been charged in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in Singapore. Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was charged in court on Thursday (17 July) with five offences under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. He had previously faced two charges under the Poisons Act for possessing and selling etomidate, a classified poison that has increasingly been detected in illegal vapes. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said Akil had been producing e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate at home with the intent to sell them. Vapes and Chemicals Seized in Yishun Flat On 11 December 2024, authorities raided a flat at Block 269B Yishun Street 22 and uncovered a large cache of vaping equipment and components. The haul included 569 empty pod casings, 534 pod components, 1,485 pod covers, 100 loose vape pods, and other related items used to assemble the drug-laced devices, known as 'Kpods'. Later that night, shortly after midnight, Akil allegedly sold 100 pods outside the same flat. Each pod contained 150ml of liquid, which tests later confirmed was laced with etomidate—an anaesthetic agent typically used in clinical settings. At around 5.30am on the same day, Akil was also allegedly found in possession of 26.4g of white powder containing the same substance. Accused to Plead Guilty Appearing in court via video link, Akil informed the judge that he understood the charges and intended to plead guilty to all of them. He declined legal representation, stating: 'I don't want to waste the court's time.' He has been in remand since 20 June. A prosecutor from the HSA told the court that a plea bargain would be offered. Akil is expected to enter his plea on 23 July. He also faces a separate charge under the Passports Act. On 20 January, while applying for a new passport, Akil allegedly told the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) that he had left a bag containing his passport and NRIC at a coffee shop. Investigations later revealed the statement was false. Authorities Mulling Stricter Vaping Regulations In a written parliamentary reply on 8 January, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed that a licence is required for the import and sale of etomidate, which is classified as a poison under the Poisons Act. The HSA said it takes a 'serious view' of the illegal sale and misuse of etomidate and warned that 'stern actions' would be taken against offenders. MOH, HSA, and other enforcement agencies have stepped up efforts to clamp down on illegal vaporisers. In light of the growing prevalence of drug-laced Kpods, authorities are said to be considering tightening regulations on vaping. Members of the public who wish to report vaping offences or the sale of vaping products may contact HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 during office hours from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays.
The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore
Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was found with vapes and various related components in a Housing Board flat at Block 269B Yishun Street 22 on Dec 11, 2024. - HSA SINGAPORE: A man who allegedly made drug-laced vapes, or Kpods, at home was charged on Thursday (July 17). The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was manufacturing e-vaporiser pods containing etomidate at home with the intent to sell them. HSA said Akil's case is the first of its kind in Singapore. For making these do-it-yourself Kpods, the 41-year-old Singaporean was handed five charges under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. On Dec 11, 2024, Akil was allegedly found with vapes and various related components in an HDB flat at Block 269B Yishun Street 22. These included 569 pieces of empty pod casings, 534 pieces of pod components, 1,485 pieces of pod covers and 100 loose e-vaporiser pods, among other items, according to charge sheets. An HSA prosecutor said in court that the authorities were ready with a plea offer for him. Akil, who attended court via video-link, said he understood the charges and wanted to plead guilty to all of them. He said he did not want to hire a lawyer, adding: 'I don't want to waste the court's time.' Akil had earlier been charged with two offences under the Poisons Act for possessing and selling etomidate, a classified poison increasingly detected in vapes. After midnight on Dec 11, 2024, Akil allegedly sold 100 vape pods outside the same HDB flat. These vape pods contained 150ml of liquid, which was analysed and found to contain etomidate, according to charge sheets. Around 5.30am that day at the same location, Akil was allegedly found with 26.4g of white powder, which also contained etomidate. Kpods are a growing cause for concern here. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs said in a joint statement on July 12 that vaping is a serious issue, noting that etomidate may cause adverse effects such as seizures and psychosis. Used in hospitals to induce sedation during medical procedures, etomidate is meant to be injected into the veins under clinical supervision and is never intended to be inhaled. When vaped, it enters the lungs directly and may trigger spasms, breathing difficulties, seizures and even psychosis. The ministries said they were looking at tightening the laws around vaping after the increased detection of vapes containing etomidate and other controlled drugs. Akil faces one more charge under the Passports Act for making a false statement to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority while applying for a new Singapore passport. He allegedly lied on Jan 20 that he forgot his bag – which contained his NRIC and passport – at a coffee shop, and that his passport was not returned to him. Akil, who has been in remand since June 20, is slated to plead guilty on July 23. To report vaping offences and the sale of vaping devices to the authorities, the public can contact HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch on 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays. - The Straits Times/ANN
International Business Times
6 days ago
- International Business Times
Singapore's First Case: 41-Year-Old Man Charged for Making DIY Kpods at Yishun Residence
A 41-year-old man who allegedly made drug-laced vapes, or Kpods, at home was charged on Thursday, July 17, in Singapore. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said Mohammed Akil Abdul Rahim was manufacturing e-vaporizer pods containing etomidate at home with an intention to sell them. According to HSA, Akil's case is the first of its kind in Singapore. The Singaporean man was handed five charges for making these do-it-yourself Kpods under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act. Last year, Akil was allegedly found with vapes and various related components in an HDB flat at Block 269B Yishun Street 22 on December 11. According to charge sheets, these included, among other things, 100 loose e-vaporizer pods, 1,485 pieces of pod covers, 569 pieces of empty pod casings, and 534 pieces of pod components. In court, an HSA prosecutor stated that the authorities were prepared to make him a plea deal. Akil, who appeared in court via video link, stated that he was aware of the charges and wished to enter a guilty plea to each one. However, he didn't t want to hire a lawyer, stating, "I don't want to waste the court's time," as reported by Straits Times. Akil was previously accused of two offenses under the Poisons Act for selling and possessing etomidate, a poison that is increasingly found in vape pens. On December 11, 2024, after midnight, Akil is accused of selling 100 vape pods outside the same HDB apartment. According to charge sheets, the 150 ml of liquid in these vape pods was analyzed and found to contain etomidate. Akil was allegedly discovered in possession of 26.4g of white powder, which also contained etomidate, at the same location at 5:30 am that day. Kpods are a growing cause for concern in Singapore. In a joint statement released on July 12, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that vaping is a serious problem and that etomidate may have negative side effects like psychosis and seizures. Etomidate, which is used in hospitals to make patients drowsy during medical procedures, is never meant to be inhaled; instead, it is meant to be injected into the veins under clinical supervision. It enters the lungs directly when vaped, which can cause seizures, breathing problems, spasms, and even psychosis. Following a rise in the number of vapes found to contain etomidate and other controlled substances, the ministries announced that they were considering stricter regulations regarding vaping. Akil is also charged under the Passports Act with lying to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority when he applied for a new Singaporean passport. On January 20, he allegedly made up the story that he had left his bag, which included his passport and NRIC, at a coffee shop and that his passport had not been given back. Akil is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on July 23. He has been under remand since June 20. The public can call HSA's Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684-2036 or 6684-2037, Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5:30 pm, to report vaping offenses and the sale of vaping devices to the authorities.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Time of India
B'desh woman crosses over to Tripura to meet lover, lands in jail
Agartala: A Bangladeshi woman has landed in a Tripura jail after she crossed the international border to meet the love of her life whom she met virtually eight months ago. Her boyfriend, who came all the way from Karnataka to meet her, is also in judicial custody. Gulshana Akhter, a resident of Palsa village in Bangladesh's Bogura district, met Datta Yadav from Karnataka on Instagram. As the months passed, their bond grew stronger, fueled by countless texts, shared photos, and promises over video calls. The digital world was no longer enough to contain their love, and the yearning to meet in person became an irresistible force. It was this longing that led Gulshana to make a daring decision, one that would change the course of their lives forever. On Wednesday, Gulshana crossed the international border driven by the hope of finally meeting Datta. The journey was fraught with risk, but love knows no fear. Meanwhile, Datta travelled from Bangalore to the border village of Harihordula in Sepahijala district, police said. Their meeting was a moment of pure joy, a culmination of months of longing and dreams. But the happiness was fleeting, as the harsh reality of their actions soon caught up with them. The BSF noticed their presence and swiftly intervened, detaining the couple and handing them over to the Madhupur police station. On Thursday, they were produced in court that remanded them in 14-day judicial custody. Police have registered specific cases under the Passports Act, the Foreigners Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. As Gulshana sat in the unfamiliar confines of a Tripura jail, her heart ached with the weight of their predicament. The authorities launched an investigation, suspecting a human trafficking network might have aided her illegal crossing. Yet, amid the uncertainty and fear, the love that had brought them together remained unshaken.
