'Immigration' check required

Mahesh Buddi / TNN / May 27, 2008, 03:18 IST

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In what is definitely alarming, there have been five attempts to sneak through the immigration checks at Shamshabad airport in the last 15 days.

HYDERABAD: Mahalingam N, 25, a Sri Lankan national from Jaffna, last week chose Shamshabad airport to reach France via Kuwait using a forged passport of a Malaysian national. He boarded the flight from Shamshabad undetected on May 19 but was caught at Dubai. Mahalingam's case is a good example of why Shamshabad is fast acquiring the reputation of a place that offers an "easy exit" route.
"Mahalingam said his agent in Sri Lanka advised that him it would be easy to exit from Hyderabad without being caught," a senior police official admitted.
It may be recalled that on May 10, a 28-year-old Thai woman was arrested by the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials with 2.22 kg of heroin. The reason for her choosing Shamshabad airport over Delhi airport? 'Checking' will not be tough.
In what is definitely alarming, there have been five attempts to sneak through the immigration checks at Shamshabad airport in the last 15 days. On May 25, 13 women from East, West Godavari and Kadapa districts and Hyderabad were caught by immigration officials while trying to board a Kuwait and Oman-bound flights without the Protector of Emigration (POE) clearance on their passports.

"H Kishan, an immigration constable at counter number 11, gave immigration clearance to the 13 women even though their passports carry ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp, and the airline staff issued boarding passes to them. It means they are all involved with some private agents who arranged everything for the illiterate women," a police officer said.
A few days earlier on May 14, P Bayamma, a 31-year-old woman from West Godavari district cleared the immigration check, even though she did not have her employment papers. Police arrested her and an agent, Aqeel Ahmed, from the airport.

It was confirmed by senior immigration officials that Abdul Sattar, an immigration official, was involved in the whole scam, and he is still absconding. On the next day on May 15, immigration officials caught M V Satyanarayana of East Godavari district for trying to board a Kuwait-bound flight with another person's visa.
Interestingly, when the airport was at Begumpet, immigration check was done by the Special Branch police of Hyderabad Police. For the Shamshabad airport, police officials were recruited from districts and special training was provided to them in immigration laws and checking, apart from computer training.
"There are some lower-level officials in league with the agents. Some of those who have come from districts are really frustrated as they are staying away from their families and do not want to miss out on any opportunity to make some money," a senior immigration official said.
At present, nearly 200 immigration officials are working at the Shamshabad airport, including 43 who worked at the Begumpet airport. According to an official, some of those who have worked in Begumpet airport and have already established contacts with agents are responsible for luring new recruits into this business.
"If someone sneaks through the immigration check, it is clearly with the knowledge of a particular immigration official," said a source.

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