The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on August 21 uncovered an interstate racket responsible for creating fake Aadhaar cards and other Indian identity documents for Rohingyas, Bangladeshi nationals, Nepalis, and other foreign nationals residing illegally in India.
The ATS stated that the alleged kingpin, Mohammad Naseem, along with seven other gang members, was arrested following a series of coordinated raids across multiple states. The arrested individuals include Mohammad Shakib from Azamgarh, Himanshu Rai and Mrityunjay Gupta from Mau, Salman Ansari from Ghaziabad, Gaurav Kumar Gautam from Auraiya, Rajeev Tiwari from Gorakhpur, and Vishal Kumar from Azamgarh.
According to an ATS press note, the team seized high-tech electronic equipment used for document forgery, including fingerprint scanners, laptops, multiple mobile phones used for VPN operations, as well as a large number of forged Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, and other supporting Indian identity documents.
The ATS revealed that the gang used both electronic and manual methods to tamper with Aadhaar data. Several Jan Seva Kendras authorized for Aadhaar enrolment were allegedly exploited to illegally create or alter Aadhaar cards. Investigators found that operators used VPN networks and remote access tools to bypass security protocols and make fraudulent changes to official records.
According to the ATS, the forged Aadhaar cards were used by illegal immigrants to acquire passports, residential proof, and gain access to government welfare schemes. In several instances, fake birth certificates, residence documents, and affidavits were created to support the forged identities.
“Recipients of these fake Aadhaar cards include infiltrators, Rohingya refugees, Bangladeshi nationals, and other foreigners lacking valid Indian documents. They paid substantial amounts to middlemen and members of the racket for these services,” an ATS officer stated.
Based on months of intelligence gathering, the UP ATS filed an FIR related to the case on August 20. Following this, search and raid operations were conducted across multiple locations including Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Mau, Saharanpur, and Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh; Murshidabad and Kolkata in West Bengal; Lakhisarai and Katihar in Bihar; and the Delhi-NCR region. During these operations, the ATS seized a large number of forged Indian documents and Aadhaar cards, along with the equipment used for their forgery.
The ATS has requested police custody remand of the accused to conduct further interrogations and identify additional operatives connected to the racket. Officials suspect that the wider network includes several more individuals, such as document forgers, data handlers, and middlemen.
“The operation is ongoing, with teams carrying out searches across multiple districts and states to track down the remaining suspects. This marks a significant move in curbing the misuse of forged Indian identities by illegal immigrants,” an ATS official said.
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