CBI files fresh FIR against former passport officer

KOCHI: The CBI filed a fresh FIR against former Malappuram Passport Officer, who was arrested earlier on account of bribery charges, on account of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known source of income. Officials said the FIR, filed at the CBI court in Kochi, was based on a finding that the accused, identified as P Ramakrishnan, amassed an additional income of Rs 24 lakh between June 2014 and June 2015, while serving as passport officer in Malappuram. The amount is suspected to have been collected by receiving bribe for issuing passport through illegal channel.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused used to divert money collected as bribe to bank accounts or properties registered in the name of relatives. The agency also sought to arraign those people as accused in the case. Ramakrishnan was arrested in July last year for allegedly demanding and accepting bribe from an UN official who had applied for fresh passport.