Filipino held for securing passport in Goa fraudulently

He was working as a hairstylist at a salon in Porvorim. He was held on Wednesday under Foreigners Act and Passport Act for various offences, including cheating, forgery.

A 41-year-old Filipino was arrested in Goa for allegedly procuring an Indian passport using forged documents, an official said on Thursday.

A case was registered at the Crime Branch police station against Federico Pinapin Moreno on a complaint filed by the Regional Passport Office (RPO) here, he added.

''Moreno secured a passport in the name of Erica Achumi using forged documents. He was working as a hairstylist at a salon in Porvorim. He was held on Wednesday under Foreigners Act and Passport Act for various offences, including cheating, forgery. Moreno disclosed the involvement of Vinit Bandiwdekar, who is accused of helping him obtain an Aadhaar card and other documents,'' the official said.

Bandiwdekar was also arrested on Wednesday, he added.