Overview

• The ATS arrested Afghan national Sohbat Khan and two Indian collaborators after a tip-off exposed their decade-long forgery operation.
• Authorities identified forest guard Dinesh Garg and local resident Mahendra Kumar Sukhdan as key facilitators of police verifications and postal clearances.
• The syndicate produced passports for at least 20 Afghan youths in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh by exploiting fake address proofs linked to Jabalpur.
• Financial records revealed nearly ₹10 lakh exchanged for forged documents, prompting investigators to trace beneficiaries and ringsmiths.
• Sohbat Khan remains in custody as the ATS continues interrogations to uncover further co-conspirators and document suppliers