Harikesh Patel, the son of Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress president Gitaben Patel, has been arrested by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). He is accused of acquiring a second passport using forged documents after previously surrendering his original passport in court. The ATS officials confirmed the arrest, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations involved.
Passport Misuse Linked to International Travel
A resident of Shahibaug reportedly used a second passport for international travel, specifically to Bangkok, Singapore, and Dubai. This travel route included departure via Bhutan and a return to India through Nepal. Officials are investigating the implications of this passport usage in relation to accountability and compliance with travel regulations.
Further investigation is underway. “The law must take its own course. A case was registered at the ATS police station on September 13 under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 336(2) (forgery) and Section 340 (using a forged document as genuine), and Section 12(1)(b) (furnishing false information to obtain a passport) of the Passports Act, 1967.
His first passport was deposited in court during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into an online investment fraud case, according to ATS officials. After his bail was rejected, he allegedly filed a false “lost passport” complaint in Delhi, used fake rental papers and a false Agra address, and obtained a new passport from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh in July 2024. Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the party had learnt of the arrest. If he has done something illegal, it will deal with him accordingly,” he said.
