New Delhi: Believe it or not, it takes just about 45 days and merely Rs 35,000 to acquire Indian citizenship.
A CNN-IBN Special Investigation made this startling revelation on Friday, exposing how petty corruption is posing the biggest threat to India’s national security as the nation readies to celebrate 60th anniversary of Independence.
The news channel created an entity, Citizen X, named him Anand Kumar Gupta, and made him acquire a genuine Indian passport, a PAN card, a ration card, a driving license and a genuine birth certificate.
The documents were issued in Delhi with a valid entry in Delhi government's computerised birth and death records.
Within days, Citizen X also became a registered voter with a Voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India
Today, he has an income certificate, which allows him to access any scheme for the poor and underprivileged, as well as a genuine MTNL phone connection and a real residence proof.
It took Anand Kumar Gupta just 45 days to acquire all of these. Simply paying a bribe to the touts at each step ensured that all verification processes were systematically skipped and the Gupta, who lives only on paper, gradually obtained all original documents to validate his identity.
Obtaining an Indian passport cost Gupta Rs 7,500, a ration card cost just Rs 800 and voter ID card came for Rs 1,800.
He spent Rs 2,500 to obtain a driving license, Rs 800 for a ration card, Rs 3,000 for a birth certificate and Rs 14,000 (with deposit) to rent a house.
The CNN-IBN Special Investigation Team says the findings of the investigation are a reminder of the extent of degeneration of our systems and immunity to corruption. "That for a mere Rs 35,000 one can compromise the country's sovereign authority to issue the most fundamental documents that proves one's citizenship, exposed the big holes in the national security," they say.
"This has very serious implications because anybody coming from Pakistan and Bangladesh say from even Nepal and other places, for the purpose of perpetrating violent incidents and terrorist activities can easily acquire Indian identity,” former joint director of the Intelligence Bureau, Moloy Dhar, told CNN-IBN.
Are sleeper terror cells doing the same? What explains the ease with which Azam Cheema of the LeT and 11 other terrorists move around freely in India? Is this how they visited Bombay and planned the Mumbai 7/11 attack? Is this how illegal immigrants settle down in India and acquire Indian citizenship documents that even stand legal scrutiny? Is this how MK Subba, an escaped murder convict, managed to create an Indian identity and got himself elected to the Lok Sabha. Is this how al-Qaeda may penetrate the system and spread terror?
“It is a well-known fact that these documents can be obtained easily,” National Security Expert Brigadier Rahul Bhonsle says.
"If in India’s national capital, corruption facilitates the sale of any document that proves Indian nationality, then one shudders to think the extent to which corruption has spread across the country. And it’s a chilling thought to be reminded that those who profit most from corruption are those who want to sabotage a rising India," the Special Investigation Team points out.
"The next time, before we blame the intelligence and security for its failure in the event of a terrorist attack, it might also be essential to look at the friendly next-door fixer who might have helped the terrorists in settling down. The fixer is in business because we give him business. Isn’t he promising to deliver your passport in 2 weeks," it says.
Watch exclusive Citizen X special on CNN-IBN at 8 pm on Friday
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