Mumbai Police bust interstate fake railway pass racket; five arrested

The five accused arrested by Malabar Hill police with the forged documents and other items allegedly seized during the operation. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Malabar Hill police have busted an alleged interstate racket involved in preparing fake government letterheads, forged signatures, and counterfeit seals to fraudulently obtain railway tickets under the "Duty Pass (DP) or Emergency Pass".

Five accused have been arrested, while one remains absconding. Investigators said the syndicate was also involved in creating forged government documents for other illegal purposes.

Complaint from Railways

The racket came to light after the Railway Administration lodged a complaint alleging that bogus letterheads, forged signatures, and fake seals were being used to obtain railway tickets under the "Duty Pass" quota. Based on the complaint, Malabar Hill police registered an FIR under Sections 319(2), 336(3), 336(4), 336(7), 340(2) and 204 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Fake documents used to obtain tickets

According to the investigators, the accused allegedly prepared forged government letterheads, fabricated signatures, and counterfeit rubber stamps to fraudulently obtain railway tickets reserved under the "Duty Pass". They are also suspected of manufacturing forged documents for other illegal purposes. Police said the alleged kingpin had previously been booked in similar cases by the Kalyan Railway Police and Mumbai Central Railway Police, indicating a history of document forgery and railway-related fraud.

Seizure

During the operation, police seized:
>> 12 mobile phones
>> Nine laptops
>> 16 SIM cards
>> 70 credit and debit cards
>> Two fake rubber stamps
>> 57 Aadhaar cards
>> Two stamp pads

Investigators also recovered a digital database containing confidential details of more than 400 "Duty Pass" railway ticket applicants, which they suspect was used to facilitate the fraud.

Investigation continues

Police are examining the seized electronic devices and documents to determine the full extent of the racket, identify additional beneficiaries and ascertain whether the forged documents were used to obtain other government services or benefits. Efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused, and further investigation is in progress.

Accused tracked across three states

Using technical analysis, investigators traced the accused to locations in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Mumbai, where coordinated raids led to their arrest.

The arrested accused have been identified as:
>> Ameer Ishwarlal Vankar, 49, alleged kingpin and master forger
>> Tariq Mehbub Khan, 33
>> Deepak Kumar Kanhaiyalal Yadav, 27
>> Vikal Vikramsingh Rawat, 24
>> Sagar Ishwarlal Vankar, 32

Police are searching for Dhananjay Ramkumar Yadav alias Anup alias Mohan, 34, who remains absconding.