The city crime branch has arrested two persons for allegedly issuing fake travel passes. According to the crime branch officer, the accused have taken atleast 15 migrants out of city on these fake passes. The accused have been identified as Vikas Mahajan, 28 a tours and travel agency owner and Anil Yashwante, 34.
After the outbreak of coronavirus, the state government has sealed district borders. After the centre government's nod migrant labourers were allowed to leave for their home states however for travel within the state requires travel passes issued by the police department. However the process of acquiring travel passes is tedious and passes are being issued only in cases of medical emergency.
The crime branch unit 1, received an information that atleast three families from Parel Village have reached to their native places in Kolhapur on May 25 with the help of fake travel passes. When their travel pass's QR code was checked it came out to be fake following which crime branch started manhunt for Mahajan who had allegedly taken them to Kolhapur.
On Wednesday Mahajan was taken into custody from Kalyan during his interrogation he confessed of selling fake travel passes of Thane commissionerate to the victim families. Mahajan has taken Rs 15,500 from each family which covers their travel expenses and charges for passes.
According to the crime branch officer, Mahajan had given a copy of a pass to his friend Yashwante to make duplicate passes in the name of people who wanted to reach their native places. Yashwante was arrested from Ullhasnagar on Wednesday, the two will be produced before the court on Thursday.