LTO asked to verify authenticity of Indian fugitive's driver's license
By GLAZYL MASCULINO
BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has sought the assistance of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Bacolod to verify the authenticity of a driver’s license issued to an Indian fugitive who was arrested in Barangay Taculing here on July 1.

KANT Gupta’s driver’s license. (Photo courtesy of BCPO)
Police questioned the authenticity of the driver’s license of Kant Gupta, who presented himself as a Filipino, with city address in Barangay Taculing and expiration on November 7, 2026.
“Is it fake or not?” Police Col. Noel Aliño, Bacolod police director, asked. If it was not fake, Aliño is wondering how Gupta was able to possess the license.
Gupta, with the name Joginder Geong, alias Joginder Geyong, with a fraudulent Nepalese passport, was ordered arrested by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for violating the Philippine Immigration Law, Commonwealth Act No. 613, and being an undesirable alien.
The 40-year-old suspect arrived in this city in 2022 to hide from various serious offenses such as murder, attempted murder, extortion, and robbery in India.
In a letter dated July 11 addressed to Joseph Danoy of the Negros Occidental Chief Licensing Center, Police Lt. Col. Joery Puerto, head of the City Investigation and Detection Management Unit (CIDMU), asked the LTO to confirm if the driver’s license of Gupta was duly issued by their office.
Puerto noted that their query is in relation to the investigation being conducted by the BCPO regarding a potential use of a fraudulent driver’s license.
“This is in the interest of upholding the integrity of official documents and ensuring public safety,” Puerto stressed.
“If original ang driver’s license niya ay napalusutan na naman ang government agency natin at may gumawa na naman ng kalokohan (If the driver’s license is original, somebody has fooled the LTO),” Aliño said.
Police said the suspect allegedly led an organized crime syndicate and has been sentenced to life imprisonment for violating arms laws in India.
The suspect was also linked to a terrorist group but police have no details about the allegation.
Aliño said that he is awaiting the reply of the LTO.