Fake ILP racket busted in Tezpur; arrested one

Tezpur: In a major breakthrough, the Arunachal Pradesh Police has busted a fake Inner Line Permit (ILP) racket operating out of Garuanpatti in Tezpur, Assam. The operation led to the arrest of Ashis Ghosh, who was allegedly running the illicit business from his residence. Ghosh, son of Chandan Ghosh, was employed as a data operator in the District Disaster Management Department at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Tezpur. He is accused of producing counterfeit ILPs—crucial documents required for entry into Arunachal Pradesh—both online and offline, and selling them to individuals seeking unauthorized access to the state in exchange for substantial sums of money. The racket came to light during routine document verification at the Bhalukpung check gate, a key entry point to Arunachal Pradesh. Officials noticed forged signatures of the Tawang Circle Officer on several ILPs, raising immediate red flags. The Arunachal Pradesh administration promptly filed a formal complaint at Bhalukpung Police Station, triggering a swift joint investigation. Acting on the lead, Arunachal Pradesh Police, with assistance from Tezpur Police, raided Ghosh’s residence on Sunday and apprehended him. He is currently in the custody of Arunachal Pradesh Police. A search of the premises uncovered a range of equipment used in the forgery operation, including fake documents, laptops, printers, and other materials linked to the racket. Authorities are now probing the scale of the operation and whether other individuals or officials were involved. The bust has raised serious concerns about the security of restricted border areas and the misuse of government access for illegal profiteering. Investigations are ongoing.