Mangaluru: A person who was detained at Mangaluru International Airport for carrying 26 passports belonging to different persons was a travel agent, says police. 

It is said that Abdulla (43), a native of Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala was subjected  to a prolonged interrogation but the police has informed that all the 26 passports recovered from him were genuine.

He was detained during immigration check after passports belonging to different persons were found in his baggage. The NRI was about to board a Jet Airways flight to Dubai at 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday but was detained and handed over to Bajpe police.

The police said that another travel agent, Sadakatullah from Dubai, sought help from Abdullah in arranging Haj travel for his 26 customers— 24 were Indians and 2 US citizens. Sadakatullah collected passports of his customers and handed them over to Abdullah on August 5.

Investigations revealed that Abdullah was busy arranging Haj travels for his customers, which is why he had the passports with him. Abdullah managed to clear airport security at Kozhikode and met a travel agency in Kanhangad to book travels to Haj; however he was forced to return as the agency could not complete the work. He was on his way back to Dubai when he was caught at Mangaluru.

Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar said that even though Abdulla had no intention to cheat anyone, possession of someone else’s passport will be considered as an illegal act. He also confirmed that there was no fake passport with him.

The police have booked him under Section 12(1)(d) of the Passport Act and investigations are on.