The government has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into an illegal visa racket allegedly involving some officials posted in the Indian High Commission in Britain.

The CBI probe followed a request from the Ministry of External Affairs in the wake of certain allegations levelled by Scotland Yard that some officials posted in Indian missions in Britain were involved in forging travel documents.

A team of Scotland Yard had visited the CBI headquarters in Delhi recently seeking its help in the probe as Britain's Immigration Department has registered a case in this connection.

This is the second case of allegations levelled against officials posted in Indian missions abroad. Earlier, two officials posted in the mission in Trinidad and Tobago were booked by CBI for stealing the passports meant for emergency purposes.

CBI spokesman G Mohanty told rediff.com, "Yes, we can confirm it to you that the ministry of External affairs has made a reference to CBI to inquire into the allegation of illegal immigration racket," Mohanty said.

But he denied reports that a team has already left for London to carry out investigations.

"We will constitute the team soon. After we are satisfied that there is a prima facie case then we would register an FIR," he said.

After the recent disappearance of Indian women cricketers the London police had started investigating the nexus between the officials posted in the Indian mission there and some tour operators.

Three of the women cricketers subsequently returned to India but three of them are still missing.

According to the Scotland Yard, which carried out the investigations, some officials of the Indian mission in London, deputy missions in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchaster were helping Indians to go underground and become British citizens after the mandatory period.