'We want to get at root of passport scam'

The Defence Minister says this a day after CBI files a case against an Indian Army brigadier for abetting a passport scam.

A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a case against an Indian Army brigadier for abetting a passport scam, Defence Minister AK Antony on Saturday said the idea was to set "an example" so that the wrongdoing was not repeated.

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"We want to set an example. We don't want these kinds of things to happen," Antony told reporters in Gangtok.

"These things should not be allowed to happen. We want to find the real truth as to who is responsible," the minister added.

The CBI on Friday filed a case against Brig HPS Bedi, posted in the ceremonial and welfare directorate of the Army, for obtaining without authorisation a diplomatic passport when he was only entitled to an official passport. The wife of a serving colonel has also been charged with fraudulently obtaining an official passport without being entitled to one.

Both passports were obtained through Suresh Babu, an Indian Army soldier tasked with obtaining passports for members of an Army band that was to stage performances abroad.

"We gave it (the investigation) to the CBI to get at the truth and since it involved foreign countries. We want to get at the root of the matter," the minister added.

The alleged immigration scam involving Army officials came to light earlier this month after four people were detained at the Delhi airport.

They were held while trying to leave the country on official passports issued to the Army Headquarters Band for a performance in Germany.

Preliminary investigations by the Army revealed that Suresh Babu had made and sold four "extra" passports for Rs 50,000 each.

Shocked by the incident, the defence ministry asked the CBI to carry out the probe.