Lucknow, November 21
Sayed Amir Ali, the alleged ISI agent arrested at IGIA last week, had entered the country and managed to acquire nine documents, most of them genuine, to prove his Indian identity. Thousands of bona fide Indians run from pillar to post to acquire these.

Till now, only two touts, Arshad and Chand, who had helped Ali acquire the passport, have been arrested. These two associates have reportedly identified policemen and staff of the regional passport office who helped them.

On the basis of these confessions, the state’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) is interrogating employees of the Regional Passport Office, Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) and the Police department. “No arrests have been made so far. It is still too early,” said ATS chief and ADG, Law and Order (II), AK Jain.

This incident in Lucknow virtually proves Transparency International’s recent survey of India being “highly corrupt”, ranking 84 among 180 countries.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, senior officers, policemen and bankers reveal that any non-Indian cannot procure such a comprehensive set of documents without a systematic failure across the spectrum. They consider the two men arrested as mere cogs in a much larger wheel.

Points emerging from the investigation reveal so many gaps in the system that one can’t help wondering if the so-called foolproof system of checks and balances is meant only to harass the honest citizen.

According to a senior official, passport is the only document that is made after proper physical verification by the LIU of the address and the person’s credentials. “On the basis of this master document, all other documents can easily be procured.”

That is why it is a serious matter that Amir managed to get a genuine passport on the basis of a non-existent address. When it is mandatory for the LIU to physically verify the address, how was the passport issued at an address that did not exist. While LIU and police reports available at the passport office confirm verification, the Lucknow police claims that they had received no request for verification.

Secondly, when passports are to be mailed straight to the address mentioned in the passport and under no circumstances handed over across the counter, then how did the postal department manage to deliver the passport at a fictitious address?

A high school marksheet issued from Aminabad Inter College for the academic year 1985-86 mentioning his date of birth as January 26, 1970, was recovered, which has been signed by Principal JP Misra. He did not join the college till 1988 and, therefore, could not have signed the fake certificate.

On the basis of the passport and fake marksheet mentioning his date of birth, Ali managed two driving licenses — first for private light vehicle and then commercial driving licence. Road Transport Inspector QW Khan reportedly found him fit for a licence.

A PAN card showed a Gomti Nagar address where Ali actually lived. Similarly, the bank account was opened on the basis of the PAN card and passport ID showing two different addresses.

Notably, it is not a handful of individuals but the entire system that appears to have allegedly gone out of their way to facilitate the ISI agent acquire an Indian identity.