Boarding Passes Exchanged in Mumbai Airport Toilet, Passengers Land in Different Countries; Arrested

After allegedly switching passports at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, two international passengers swapped places and flew to each other’s travel destinations. They were arrested by the Mumbai Police, an official said on Thursday. The exchange took place between a Sri Lankan native and a German citizen in a toilet at the airport.

The 22-year-old Sri Lankan citizen flew to London with the 36-year-old German national’s passport, as he flew to Kathmandu instead, a PTI report said. The Sri Lankan passenger was caught upon arrival in the UK and was deported back to Mumbai. During inquiry, he told the police that he wanted to go to the UK for a better career opportunity. He revealed his original identity to London airport authorities, the news report further said.

The police also apprehended the German citizen who had the Kathmandu-bound boarding pass.

Investigation into the matter revealed that the passengers had been staying in a plush hotel near the airport in Mumbai on April 9, which is when they hatched the plan to switch their boarding passes, an official said. The details came to light during an interrogation of the two foreigners.

Discrepancies were first observed when an attendant of an airline company noticed that the departure stamp on the passport of the Sri Lankan citizen appeared to be forged, he said. It was also found that the departure stamp number on the passport was different from the stamp number on his boarding pass, the official said.

The Sahar police have booked two persons under sections for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy and the police are investigating if more people involved in the crime.

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