New Delhi,  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday carried put searches at three locations in Tamil Nadu's Madurai in connection with a case it registered against a Regional Passport Office official, who was allegedly issuing Indian passports to foreign nationals, including Sri Lankans.

A CBI source said that the agency sleuths carried out the searches after booking RPO Madurai Senior Superintendent Veeraputhiran, and a travel agent identified as Ramesh in connection with the case.

In the FIR, the CBI alleged that in 2019-20, Veeraputhiran entered into a criminal conspiracy with Ramesh and other travel agents operating in Madurai.

"In pursuance of the conspiracy, Veeraputhiran, while posted as granting officer at Passport Seva Kendra, Tirunelveli, fraudulently issued Indian passports to Sri Lankans and other ineligible people in return for pecuniary benefits from the travel agents," the CBI FIR alleged.

The agency has found that he had demanded and accepted an amount of Rs 45,000 from Ramesh which was deposited in Veeraputhiran's savings account.