Police arrest 4 over forged clearance certificates in Ctg

Chattogram District Police yesterday (16 August) arrested four members of an alleged fraud ring accused of deceiving people seeking to travel abroad by issuing fake police clearance certificates, forging government officials’ signatures, and using counterfeit websites and QR codes.

The arrestees have been identified as Md Ashraf Ali Khan, 36; Md Nishan, 36; Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, 48; and Md Abdur Rahman, 46.

They were arrested during a joint operation by the Chattogram District Police’s Special Branch (DSB) and Detective Branch (DB) in different areas of Banshkhali and Chattogram city, according to a press release issued by Chattogram District Police this morning (17 August).

According to police, the fraud came to light after a man seeking a police clearance certificate for travelling abroad was allegedly approached by the ring. The suspects promised to arrange the certificate quickly and took Tk1.2 lakh from him.

After receiving the money, the suspects allegedly forged the signatures of government officials and produced a fake document designed to resemble a genuine police clearance certificate.

The ring allegedly went further to make the forged document appear authentic by creating a counterfeit QR code modelled on those used on genuine police clearance certificates, along with a fake website.

Police said that when the QR code was scanned to verify the certificate, it redirected users to the fake website created by the suspects instead of the official government website.

As a result, the forged certificate could initially appear genuine, police added.

Believing the document to be authentic, the victim submitted it to a travel agency. However, the agency identified the certificate as fraudulent through its own verification process.

Following a complaint from the victim, a case was filed with Banshkhali Police Station.

Police said the investigation had uncovered information suggesting that several others were also involved in the ring, adding that efforts were under way to identify and arrest them.

The Chattogram superintendent of police said strict legal action would continue against those involved in document forgery, misuse of technology, fraud and illegal brokerage.

The district police also urged people planning to travel abroad not to obtain police clearance certificates through brokers or unauthorised intermediaries, and instead to follow the prescribed official procedure.