31 Afghan citizens obtained Indian passports using Bihar addresses.

Newsdesk7 | Patna | 1 October 2026:

Bihar Police has launched an investigation after officials received information that 31 Afghan nationals had obtained Indian passports in Bihar using addresses. Most passports were issued using Patna addresses, while one case was linked to a Darbhanga district address.

The matter surfaced when the Home Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs notified the Bihar government and provided details of the 31 cases. The State Police Headquarters instructed officials in the relevant districts to investigate how addresses and supporting documents were used during the passport process.

30 passports were linked to Patna addresses
According to information available at the State Police Headquarters, 30 of the 31 Afghan nationals obtained passports using Patna addresses. The remaining passport was issued using an address in Darbhanga district. Police are examining applications, address verification records, and documents submitted during processing.

Two Bangladeshi nationals are also under investigation
The investigation is not limited to Afghan nationals. Officials have also received information that two Bangladeshi nationals may have obtained Indian passports using Bihar addresses. Their cases are also under investigation.

Police are asked to investigate how addresses were obtained
The main focus of the investigation is to determine how foreign nationals acquired Bihar addresses and what documents they submitted to support their passport applications. District Gazetteers, SSPs, and SPs of the relevant areas have been instructed to investigate the cases and present findings to the Police Headquarters. Investigators are also expected to determine whether the cases arose from individual document inconsistencies or whether multiple applications were facilitated through a common network.

Investigation into national security aspects
Senior police officers have confirmed that an investigation is underway but have refrained from providing detailed information due to the sensitivity of the case and potential national security implications. The investigation will determine whether there were lapses in address verification, document inspection, or other parts of the passport issuance process.

No final conclusion yet
At this stage, officials have announced the investigation rather than drawing final conclusions on misconduct in every case. The police investigation will establish the identities of the individuals involved, the validity of the documents used, how Bihar addresses were established, and whether any facilitator or officer assisted the process. Until the investigation is complete, the circumstances surrounding passport issuance will remain under scrutiny.

Bihar officials are expanding verification
This development has prompted officials to examine passport-related records and address verification procedures in the relevant districts. Officials have indicated that…