Police launch app for transparent passport check, fraud detection
Times of India | 4 June 2025
Kolkata: The Kolkata Police introduced a new mobile application, ‘Passport Seva Police,' to enhance transparency in passport verification processes and combat document fraud. The app also allows applicants to be updated about the status of their application. The app, operational since the end of last month, represents a significant shift towards digital documentation and real-time tracking of passport applications, allowing applicants to log in and find out what documents are required in case their application is shown as pending.Additionally, under the new framework, all passport application documents will be digitally stored on the police server, creating a permanent verification record. Assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), officers-in-charge (OCs), and additional OCs will have access to applications for cross-verification purposes.According to officers, the enhanced verification system now requires all identity documents to be cross-checked with their issuing departments. The initiative comes in response to a major passport fraud scandal uncovered in Dec last year, where Bangladeshi nationals obtained Indian passports using counterfeit documents. The investigation led to ten arrests, including a former police officer and two postal workers. "This digital transformation will eliminate confusion about submitted documents and enable better monitoring," said a senior police officer.