Court pulls up cops for returning fake passport

KOCHI: Coming down heavily on the state police, the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday observed that returning the fake passports to Alex C Joseph who is detained in Central jail is shocking. Magistrate A Ijas made the observation while considering the bail application of Alex.The accused was detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act for importing 500 high-end cars, mainly BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, from the Gulf countries.“The report that the accused used four fake passports issued in the name of different persons should be taken seriously. Why does an accused housed in Central jail need a passport? The action of the Pathanamthitta police is unbelievable,” the court orally observed.The Palarivattom police had registered a case against Alex for possessing fake passports. A  team from the Palarivattom police station went to the Central jail and formally recorded the arrest of Alex in connection with the fake passports case. The Palarivattom police had earlier filed a report in the fake passports case.“The police could not collect any substantial evidence. The accused used the passport issued in the name of Aby John. The Hyderabad police had handed over the passport to Tiruvalla police while giving the accused in custody. The passport was given to Alex at Adoor Taluk Hospital while he was taken to the hospital for preliminary check-up. It is yet to be found whether the returning of the passport was purposefully or by mistake,” the court said.