Gujarat Senior Congress leader’s son arrested by ATS in Fake Passport case

AHMEDABAD : A second passport allegedly obtained using forged documents has landed Harikesh Pranav Patel, son of Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress president Gitaben Patel, in the custody of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). The ATS has alleged that Patel concealed the fact that his original passport had been surrendered to a court and procured another passport using a fabricated address.

According to the ATS, Patel allegedly used the second passport to travel to Bangkok, Singapore and Dubai, travelling through Bhutan and returning through Nepal. The agency is investigating the documents and network allegedly used to obtain the passport.

Original Passport With Court

The ATS said Patel’s original passport had been deposited with a court in connection with an Enforcement Directorate investigation. Investigators allege that he subsequently concealed this fact and filed a complaint with the Delhi Crime Branch claiming that the passport had been lost.

The ATS alleges that forged rent agreements showing an Agra address were used, following which Patel’s Aadhaar details were allegedly updated. He then obtained a second passport from the Regional Passport Office in Ghaziabad on July 26, 2024, according to the agency.

“The investigation is focused on how the second passport was obtained and who assisted in preparing the forged documents,” ATS officials said, according to reports.

Reports differ on the amount allegedly paid to facilitate the passport. One report citing ATS sources put the figure at ₹65 lakh, while the material provided for the story states ₹25 lakh. The discrepancy is subject to investigation.

The ATS has also been examining Patel’s previous cases and alleged links to financial fraud. A report said he had earlier been named as an accused in the ED’s investigation into the ₹50-crore Power Bank app fraud case and was later made a witness.

The ATS is also investigating alleged forged documents, financial transactions and other persons who may have assisted in obtaining the second passport.

The arrest has political interest because Patel is the son of Gitaben Patel, who heads the Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress. The case against her son, however, concerns allegations being investigated by law-enforcement agencies and does not by itself establish any wrongdoing by her.