Immigration Officer Arrested for Issuing Fake Passport to Wanted Criminal

COLOMBO (News 1st); A senior immigration officer has been arrested on suspicion of facilitating the creation of a forged passport for a known organized crime figure, Kelehelbandara Padme, who is currently residing overseas.

The suspect is an Assistant Controller General of Immigration and Emigration.

According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the suspect is believed to have issued the fraudulent passport without biometric fingerprint data, enabling Kelehelbandara Padme to travel abroad under false documentation.

Investigations have revealed that two other suspects had previously been arrested in connection with the same case.

These individuals allegedly obtained Kelehelbandara Padme’s photograph via WhatsApp, edited it, and submitted it to the Department of Immigration and Emigration to process the forged passport.

Authorities confirmed that Kelehelbandara Padme had originally traveled abroad in 2021 using a passport issued in 2014, which expired last year.

However, recent findings indicate that two additional fake passports were issued this year under different names, both containing Kelehelbandara Padme’s photograph.