Fake e-passes in names of Amitabh, Trump

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 7

If Covid e-passes issued by the Himachal Government are presumed to be authentic, actor Amitabh Bachchan and former US President Donald Trump visited Shimla today.

E-passes (HP 2563825 and HP 2563287) with fake registrations issued for May 7 in the names of Amitabh Bachchan coming to meet Rajiv Sehjal and Donald Trump, a tourist from Chandigarh, have gone viral on electronic and social media. The registered vehicles were in the category of light motor vehicle bearing Chandigarh number plates. Both passes were issued under the essential service provider category.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the Department of Information Technology. It has been stated in the complaint that misinformation is being spread on social and electronic media about the issuance of wrong e-passes by the district administration, said Praveer Thakur, ASP, Shimla.

Interestingly, the mobile phone numbers, identity proofs and Aadhaar card numbers in both passes were the same. Investigation in the case was underway, he added.

Congress leaders have expressed surprise that with such arrangements in place, over 15,000 persons have come to the state in the past two weeks. Despite several calls, the Director, Information Technology, was not available for comments.