Ahmedabad, Sep 16 (IANS) The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested an Ahmedabad-based businessman and a politician’s son for allegedly obtaining a second Indian passport using forged documents and false information after his original passport had been deposited with a court in connection with an Enforcement Directorate (ED) money-laundering case.
The accused, identified as Harikesh Patel, a resident of Shahibaug area, was arrested from the Science City area following an investigation launched on the basis of confidential information received by ATS Police Inspector J.P. Rojiya.
Harikesh is also the son of Gujarat Mahila Congress President Geetaben Patel.
According to the ATS, Patel already held an Indian passport, number S2528999, which had been deposited with the court during proceedings in an ED case linked to the alleged Power Bank App money-laundering case.
Investigators alleged that he subsequently concealed this fact and obtained another passport, number C0538007, from the Ghaziabad Regional Passport Office (RPO) on July 26, 2024.
The second passport was allegedly obtained by using forged documents and falsely showing his address as 37/526, Chandranagar, Nagalpadi, Dayalbagh, Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
The ATS said forged rental agreements showing residences in Delhi and Agra were also used in the process.
“During verification, we found that the confidential information we got was true,” Gujarat ATS SP K. Siddharth said.
The investigation, according to the ATS, found that Patel had first lodged a complaint with the Delhi Crime Branch claiming that his original passport had been lost.
He allegedly used the report along with other forged documents to support his application for the second passport.
“Patel’s original passport had been deposited with the court during proceedings in the ED’s Power Bank App money-laundering case. After obtaining anticipatory bail, which was subsequently revoked, Patel approached the Delhi High Court challenging the revocation,” the police said.
The ATS alleged that during this period Patel sought to obtain another passport with the intention of travelling abroad and avoiding arrest. According to the police, he contacted a friend living in Dubai, who introduced him to an agent in Delhi.
The agent allegedly helped arrange the forged documents, including a rental agreement showing Patel as an Agra resident. “Patel had initially paid Rs 25 lakh for this process,” Siddharth said.
After obtaining the second passport, Patel allegedly used it to travel through Bhutan to Bangkok, Singapore and Dubai, before returning to India through Nepal.
A case was registered at the ATS police station on September 13, 2026, under Sections 336(2), 337, 338, 339 and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Section 12(1)(b) of the Passports Act, 1967.
Further investigation is underway. The ATS said Patel has two previous cases registered against him.
An FIR registered at Naranpura police station in 2022 invokes Sections 406, 420, 477A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code, Section 66(d) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Sections 447 and 448 of the Companies Act, 2013.
Another case was registered by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in 2023 under Sections 406, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the IPC.
Siddharth said the ATS was also examining Patel’s business and financial activities.
“During our preliminary investigation, we have so far found that a large number of factories and companies are registered in his name. Some are genuinely operating, while some appear to have been created merely as fake companies,” he said.
He added that the preliminary investigation is examining whether such entities had been used for money transfers, accessing and using money-mule accounts, or supporting money-laundering activities.
The ATS has also begun efforts to trace the Delhi-based agent who allegedly assisted Patel in obtaining the second passport.
“Investigators would examine the role of all persons who assisted in preparing the forged passport and documents,” Siddharth added.
The police said further investigation would determine the role of the accused and others allegedly involved in the preparation and use of the forged documents.
–IANS
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