In a major crackdown, Uttar Pradesh Police have dismantled an elaborate Aadhaar identity fraud network allegedly operating out of the Badaun and Amroha districts. This sophisticated operation, which tampered with the biometric data of over 1,500 Aadhaar cardholders across at least 12 states, was uncovered through a joint cyber operation led by SP Sambhal Krishna Kumar Bishnoi and ASP Anukriti Sharma.
The arrested individuals, Ashish Kumar, Dharmender Singh, Raunak Pal from Badaun, and Kasim Hussain from Amroha, exploited technical loopholes within the UIDAI system to manipulate Aadhaar data. The gang has been charged under various sections of the Aadhaar Act, IT Act, and Passport Act, including crimes like cheating, identity theft, possession of forged seals, and unauthorized access to protected digital systems.
The police investigation revealed that the fraud network was supported by a network of 200 to 300 agents, or “retailers,” across multiple states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, West Bengal, and Delhi. These intermediaries collected Aadhaar credentials from individuals seeking illegal modifications to their personal details, such as names, addresses, birth dates, and mobile numbers, for a fee ranging from Rs2,000 to Rs5,000 per alteration.
To date, police have uncovered around 400 fake documents, including forged birthdates and mobile numbers. The gang also extended their fraud to ration cards, altering personal information using tampered biometric verification. The authorities are continuing their investigation, with efforts to trace the full scope of the scam and identify other individuals involved.
