Passport fraud: Bail denied to accused

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday denied bail to V M Kammad Haji of Pallithazham, Kayalam, Kozhikode, and his daughter Fathima Begum, who were arrested on October 21 for helping Fahad alias Muhammed Koya, a Pakistani national, to secure an Indian passport using a fake name.

Fahad was an active member of al-Badar, a terrorist organisation based in Jammu and Kashmir, and indulged in anti-national activities.

Karnataka police arrested him from Mysore with two Pakistani passports and sophisticated weapons.

Investigation into the incident revealed that Fahad had stayed in the house of Kammad Haji and Fathima from February 12 to August 21.

It was Fathima Begum who obtained Rs 20,000 from Fahad and entrusted it with Rahmathulla (accused No 6) through a mediator Muhammed Afsal (accused 10) to secure the passport.

The role of the petitioners, who are accused No 3 and 4, respectively had not been that of innocent hosts, Justice V Ramkumar said while dismissing their bail application.