Passport swap scam at KIA: Two held in alleged fake travel document racket

A sophisticated passport and boarding pass swap scam at Kempegowda International Airport has exposed an alleged attempt by two foreign nationals to bypass immigration checks using exchanged boarding passes and fake travel documents, prompting separate criminal cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

Immigration authorities alleged that Canadian passport holder Chiwarajah Dachshan and Sri Lankan national Sinnappu Subakaran exchanged their boarding passes on June 23 in an attempt to travel on different international flights. While Dachshan was originally booked on an Air India flight (AI-133) to London, Subakaran was scheduled to fly to Singapore on Singapore Airlines flight SQ-509.

According to investigators, Subakaran allegedly used Dachshan’s boarding pass to attempt boarding the London-bound flight. During security and immigration verification, officials discovered discrepancies in the travel documents and found that the boarding pass belonged to another passenger. Further examination allegedly revealed forged immigration stamps and fake passport documents.

Meanwhile, before the alleged fraud was detected, Dachshan is said to have boarded SQ-509 using Subakaran’s boarding pass. Upon arrival in Singapore, immigration authorities allegedly rejected his entry after he produced a fake Sri Lankan passport, declaring him an inadmissible passenger. He was subsequently returned to Bengaluru.

Immigration officials alleged that the duo had deliberately exchanged boarding passes to evade immigration scrutiny and facilitate international travel using fraudulent identities. The investigation further suggests that forged passports and counterfeit immigration stamps were used during the attempted journey.

Based on separate complaints filed by Immigration Officer Kasinatha Durai and airline official Mallesha A.S., the police registered two connected cases against the accused under Sections 319(2) and 336(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 22 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

The investigation is continuing to determine the source of the forged travel documents and whether a larger document-forgery or human-smuggling network was involved.