Gujarat ATS Arrests Son of Mahila Congress President in Fake Passport Scam

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Harikesh Patel, the son of Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress President Geetaben Patel, for orchestrating a complex passport fraud to evade legal restrictions. Patel, who was already under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money laundering, managed to travel to multiple countries using a fraudulent second passport while his original document was seized by the court.

The 'Passport Loop': How the Fraud Was Executed

According to reports from ગુજરાત સમાચાર, the accused used a multi-state strategy to bypass the security measures of the Gujarat ATS and the ED. His original passport had been seized in 2023 in connection with the 'Powerbank App' money laundering case.

To circumvent this, Patel allegedly followed these steps:

• False Reporting: He filed a fraudulent report with the Delhi Crime Branch claiming his original passport was lost.
• Document Forgery: He created fake rental agreements for residences in Agra and Delhi to establish a bogus address.
• New Issuance: Using these forged documents, he applied for and obtained a new passport from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Ghaziabad on July 26, 2024.
• Financial Cost: Reports indicate Patel paid an agent ₹25 lakh to facilitate these fraudulent documents.

Evading Immigration via Non-Traditional Routes

To avoid detection at major Indian airports, Patel utilized specific transit routes. He first traveled from India to Bhutan, and from there, he visited Bangkok, Singapore, and Dubai. To return to India without triggering immigration alerts, he entered the country via Nepal.

Money Laundering and 'Mule Accounts'

The investigation reveals that the passport fraud was not an isolated incident of travel. The ATS found that Patel was allegedly planning further financial fraud. Investigators discovered several "mule accounts" and registered companies—some of which were reportedly fake—used to facilitate fraudulent transactions. This adds a new layer to the existing money laundering trial currently ongoing in court.

Key Detail	Information
Accused	Harikesh Pranavkumar Patel
Mother's Position	President, Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress (Appointed Feb 20, 2025)
Primary Case	Powerbank App Money Laundering Case (ED)
Arrest Location	Near Science City, Ahmedabad
Legal Charges	BNS 2023 and Passport Act 1967

The arrest was carried out by an ATS team led by PI B.H. Korat and PI J.P. Rosia. In a notable detail, the accused had previously been photographed with these same officers at a credit event in January 2026, unaware that they would later be the ones to apprehend him.