78 barred on way from China to Chandni Chowk, CBI launches probe

The CBI has launched a probe to unravel a Chinese puzzle after it emerged that some people issued bogus security clearance letters in the name of India's Home Ministry so 78 nationals from the neighbouring country could attend a health conclave in Delhi.

FIR AGAINST UNKNOWN PERSONS

Authorities filed an FIR this week against "unknown persons", who forged the letters, based on the complaint of an official in the foreign division of the MHA who said his signature was fabricated on the documents two years ago.

Security clearance is required from Ministry of Home Affairs for those participating in international conferences in India.

On August 28, 2014, the MHA received a request from Dr Mohan Nair, chairman of the organising committee of the 7th Annual Scientific Sessions of Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society that was to be held from October 28 to November 1 that year. The conference was to be attended by 78 Chinese experts who needed security clearance.

MHA LETTER FORGED

The organisers first got the permission to hold the event. They filed a separate request to get security clearance for the Chinese participants. The participation was conveyed to the Indian embassy in Beijing.

The ministry got an email from the embassy, saying they had received the clearance and issued visas to 43 Chinese nationals. While the visa process was on, the Indian mission in Beijing received a letter from the MHA informing that security clearance was not required for the event.

Investigations revealed that the MHA letter was forged, the FIR said.

Dr Mohan Nair told Mail Today that during the preliminary investigation in 2014 it was found that the URL used to send the forged letter "was not from our office".

"From where the letter was sent is a matter of investigation. We wanted as many participants as possible to arrive from China but with due diligence. Visas were allotted to significant Chinese nationals," he said.

THE PROCESS FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE

Two years later, the ministry received an email from the Indian embassy in Beijing, forwarding the email received from the Chinese company that pursued the visa applications with the mission. It mentioned an individual named Rajeev Bhatia, M/s Shobiz Experiential Communications Pvt Ltd based in Okhla Phase 3.

"Before you grant visa to a foreign national you must know the purpose for which he is coming," the MHA spokesperson told Mail Today. "When a foreigner is coming to attend the conference then the ministry has to examine what are the international security implications and repercussions of a particular conference."

The spokesperson said people attending the conference need to apply for such clearances and organisers have certain responsibilities and implications for them too.

This Mail Today reporter also posed as a prospective client seeking to organise an international event in India and spoke to the staff at M/s Shobiz Experiential Communications to know the procedure that was adopted to hold the 2014 conference.

"We have agents in Delhi who are liaisons for embassy work," said a representative. "We sent a list of participants to the MHA and follow up with them." When asked about the issue of granting of visa to the Chinese nationals for the event, an official said, "Due to some diplomatic issues, the Chinese were not granted the visa. But then we got a letter from the home ministry. However, by the time the procedures were done, not much time was left and so not all participants could come. We now know all the formalities. We also have agents to help you out."

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