Rudrapur Man Arrested for Operating Fake Aadhaar and PAN Card Centre
In a significant crackdown on document forgery, a 21-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday in Rudrapur for allegedly running a counterfeit Aadhaar and PAN card centre. The illegal operation was cleverly disguised as a Jan Seva Kendra, located on Machhli Market Road in the Transit Camp area of the city.
Details of the Illegal Operation
Police identified the accused as Chetan Kumar, a resident of Gaddha Colony in Simla Bahadur village. According to authorities, Kumar had been operating this fraudulent facility for approximately one year. He used sophisticated software to manipulate photographs, names, and addresses, creating forged Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and fabricated educational marksheets. These fake documents were allegedly utilized to secure employment in companies based in the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIDCUL) industrial area.
Police Raid and Seizure
Acting on a reliable tip-off, a joint team comprising local police and the Kumaon special task force conducted a raid on the premises. During the operation, law enforcement officials recovered a substantial cache of illicit materials. This included 40 fake Aadhaar cards, 53 counterfeit PAN cards, and several forged marksheets. Additionally, equipment essential for the forgery operation was seized, such as a printer, photo papers, a desktop computer, a biometric scanner, and a mobile phone. Digital copies of the forged documents were also discovered stored in the computer system, highlighting the extent of the illegal activities.
Legal Actions and Investigation
An FIR has been registered against Chetan Kumar under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- Section 318(2) for cheating
- Section 336(3) for forgery
- Section 338 for forgery of valuable security
- Section 340(2) for using forged documents
The investigation is currently ongoing, with authorities working to uncover any potential links or accomplices involved in this racket.
Police Warning to Citizens
Udham Singh Nagar SSP Ajay Ganapati issued a stern warning to the public, urging citizens to refrain from obtaining or using fake documents. He emphasized the importance of reporting any suspicious activities to the police immediately. "Strict action will continue against those involved in such rackets," the SSP added, underscoring the commitment to combating document fraud and maintaining the integrity of official identification systems.
