Belagavi: The misuse of forged Aadhaar cards has emerged as a serious concern in Belagavi district, with a recent case exposing how counterfeit identity documents are being used even in judicial proceedings. In a shocking incident, Market police have arrested two individuals for allegedly producing fake Aadhaar cards, forged documents and presenting a bogus surety in court to secure bail for an accused.
The accused have been identified as Imran Abdul Mishrikoti, 48, a resident of Ujwal Nagar, and Avinash Pandurang Lakhe, 39, from Jyotinagar in Ganeshpur. The arrests were made by a team led by Market police inspector JM Kalimirchi and sub-inspector Hussainsab Kerur following a detailed investigation triggered by irregularities detected during court verification.
According to police sources, the fraud came to light when court staff found discrepancies in the Aadhaar card submitted while processing bail surety documents. On verification, the Aadhaar card was found to be fake, prompting the registration of a case at Market police station. Police treated the matter with urgency, given its implications for the integrity of judicial procedures.
Speaking to TOI, inspector Kalimirchi said the forged Aadhaar card was used in an attempt to secure bail for an accused in an attempted murder case. While the Aadhaar card appeared to belong to a male individual, verification exposed inconsistencies indicating it was linked to a female identity, raising further suspicion over its authenticity.
During the investigation, police first arrested Imran Mishrikoti for allegedly producing fabricated documents in court. Based on his interrogation, officers raided a shop operated by Avinash Lakhe, where fake Aadhaar cards and other forged documents were reportedly created. Lakhe was later taken into custody. Police also seized computers, electronic devices and materials used to generate counterfeit documents from the premises.
Both the accused have been charged with misleading the court by presenting forged identity documents and a fake surety. They were produced before court and have been remanded to judicial custody at Hindalga Central Prison.
The case has highlighted the growing misuse of Aadhaar documents in criminal activities beyond property fraud. Investigators suspect that similar fake identity documents could have been used in other cases as well and are now probing possible wider links. Belagavi police are already handling multiple disputes where Aadhaar misuse allegedly facilitated illegal property transfers, including cases involving ancestral land being transferred without the knowledge of rightful owners.
City police commissioner Bhushan Borase has raised concerns over systemic loopholes in Aadhaar verification and misuse. He said individuals often manipulate Aadhaar details such as name, address and photograph with the help of intermediaries, even managing OTP authentication. “Once the criminal purpose is served, the details are often reverted to the original by submitting genuine documents, making it difficult to fix accountability,” he told TOI.
Borase further warned that such practices could have wider implications, including misuse of Aadhaar for obtaining SIM cards and carrying out other illegal activities. In some cases, simply printing duplicate Aadhaar cards is sufficient for fraudulent use, the officer said.
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