Kolkata, 17 December (H.S.) :
The Enforcement Directorate has filed its first supplementary chargesheet against Indubhushan Haldar alias Dulal and four others in a case related to providing fake Indian identity documents to a Pakistani national. The chargesheet has been submitted before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Kolkata.
According to the ED, fresh evidence unearthed during the probe established that Pakistani national Azad Malik had been residing in India using forged identities. His real name is Azad Malik, who allegedly procured Indian documents by falsely projecting himself as the son of Mona Malik. The agency claimed that Malik, in collusion with Haldar, arranged Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and passports for illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in exchange for large sums of money.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ED said the Pakistani national was arrested on April 15, 2025. Questioning of Indubhushan Haldar began on October 13. Both accused are currently in judicial custody.
During the investigation, the ED conducted searches at several locations linked to Azad Malik, recovering incriminating documents and records. The probe revealed that Malik, with the help of his associates, obtained multiple Indian identity documents using forged information. The agency also found that he was operating a hawala network to facilitate illegal cross-border transactions between India and Bangladesh. Funds were collected in cash and through UPI and later transferred to Bangladesh using platforms such as bKash.
The ED further alleged that Azad Malik, with the assistance of Haldar, even managed to renew his Indian passport using fake credentials. Haldar allegedly supplied forged documents to Bangladeshi clients, charging around ₹50,000 for arranging Indian identity papers. Together, the two are suspected to have facilitated nearly 300 to 400 passport applications.
The investigation also found that in 29 passport applications, the income tax returns and tax payment receipts submitted by Haldar were identical and bore no official stamp of the Income Tax Department, clearly indicating fabrication aimed at securing passports.
Several serious discrepancies were detected in multiple passport applications. In one instance, two brothers were shown to have dates of birth separated by just three months, which investigators described as biologically impossible. In another case, the difference was only seven months. In yet another case, a Bangladeshi national identity card was recovered, showing the individual as a resident of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The ED further revealed that Goldenize Forex and Travels Private Limited and its directors were involved in illegal foreign exchange dealings in violation of Reserve Bank of India norms. Despite knowing that Azad Malik was not an Indian citizen, the company allegedly allowed him to operate a forex counter. Malik reportedly sold foreign currency without valid documentation and earned commission in the process.
According to the agency, after purchasing foreign currency from licensed money changers or authorised banks, Azad Malik, Goldenize Forex and Travels Private Limited and its directors illegally sold it in the domestic market. The investigation is ongoing, and the ED said further revelations are likely in the coming days.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
