Bangladeshi man arrested at Lucknow airport for 'buying' Indian passport

A Bangladeshi man was arrested at the Lucknow airport for buying a fake Indian passport for Rs 1 lakh and a fake Aadhaar card for Rs 10,000 to go to the Middle East in search of livelihood.

He was arrested upon on his return from Sharjah when he failed to explain to an immigration officer why he did not opt for a direct flight for Kolkata instead of landing in Lucknow and then taking a connecting fight to Kolkata.

The accused has been identified as Mohammad Abdul Zabbar, 43, who originally hails from Bangladesh's Pabna district.

However, the Indian passport and Aadhaar card seized from him states his identity as Jabbar Shak, 39, resident of Nadia district in West Bengal.

"When I questioned him on why he did not book a direct flight for Kolkata from Sharjah instead of landing at Lucknow, the accused could not give a satisfactory answer. He was interrogated and confessed that he was a Bangladeshi national and had bought an Indian passport for Rs 1 lakh and Aadhaar for Rs 10,000 from a man in West Bengal," said an official.

"Touts in Bangladesh had demanded 4 lakh taka which he could not afford, so he went for a cheaper alternative -- the Indian passport. He was a labourer in Sharjah and was heading home (Bangladesh). After alighting at Kolkata airport, Zabbar was supposed to cross the border in the night."

Zabbar has been sent to 14 days judicial custody.

--IANS

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