The Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force has arrested a Buddhist monk accused of helping Bangladeshi nationals obtain Indian passports using forged documents, exposing how monastery addresses and witness verification were allegedly used to bypass identity checks.
Gulab Rai Gautam, also known as Samyak Bodhi, was arrested in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, on Saturday after investigators had been searching for him for several days. The STF had announced a reward of Rs 20,000 for information leading to his arrest.
According to STF sources, Gautam allegedly used addresses linked to Buddhist monasteries for passport applications and acted as a witness on documents intended to establish the applicants’ Indian identities. Investigators allege that the passports were obtained in Madhya Pradesh by using forged documents and that around 70 Indian passports were issued to Bangladeshi nationals as part of the racket.
The investigation has identified Riyal Chaudhary, also known as Bhante Maitaanand, as the alleged kingpin. STF sources said Gautam provided Chaudhary access to his State Bank of India account in return for Rs 10,000 a month. The account was opened at the bank’s Vidisha branch during 2021-22 and allegedly carried Chaudhary’s mobile number.
Investigators are also examining the financial transactions routed through the account, according to the report. Around 50 passports were reportedly issued on the basis of witness verification involving three people, including Gautam. The details indicate that the alleged operation depended not only on forged paperwork but also on the use of local addresses and witnesses to support applications.
The case brings attention to a vulnerable point in identity-document systems: address verification often depends on records and attestations supplied by individuals or institutions operating far from the applicant’s place of origin. In this case, the STF alleges that monastery addresses were used to create an appearance of local residence for passport applicants.
The arrest follows the STF’s investigation into the alleged passport network. Gautam, a native of Jhansi, was taken into custody in Chhattisgarh, indicating that investigators were tracing the activities and financial links of individuals across state boundaries. The report does not state how many other people have been arrested or whether all the passports identified by investigators have been cancelled or referred for further action.
The alleged use of a bank account opened in Vidisha also places financial records alongside passport applications as part of the investigation. Linking account details, mobile numbers, witness records and application addresses can help investigators map the operation’s participants, but the supplied report does not provide details of the specific forged documents or the agencies that detected the irregularities.
The allegations remain subject to the investigation and any subsequent court proceedings. The STF’s next steps will determine the wider network involved, the status of the passports identified in the case and the action taken against other alleged participants.
