12 held for supplying fake certs to seafarers

IN THE DOCK

Mateen Hafeez I TNN

Mumbai: The Yellowgate police arrested 12 persons and busted a fake Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), an identity document for seafarers. The group would charge between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 for a fake CDC.

Immigration authorities, while verifying CDCs issued to sailors aboard Uniglory Ship, detected a fraud in January this year when came across some fake certificates. They alerted the Yellowgate police, who arrested Binit Pawar. “After sustained interrogation, Pawar spilled the beans on other agents, printers and suppliers involved in the racket,” said R K Padmanabhan, additional commissioner of police.

Among those arrested, Anil Rajput, a printer by profession, is said to be the mastermind. According to the police, he has been involved in the scam since 1994.

CDC is issued by the Ministry of Shipping through the Directorate General of Shipping to those who have cleared the pre-sea test and the Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (or STCW) exam from an authorised institution.

The police are now planning to meet shipping officials to prevent such rackets. “We will suggest that the CDC bear the expiry date,’’ said Padmanabhan. “It has been found that many people also used fake CDCs to travel abroad illegally’’ said Padmanabhan.

The Times of India, May 5, 2010