Delhi Police Busts Online Racket Selling Forged Aadhaar, Voter ID Cards; Two Arrested
The Delhi Police have arrested two men for allegedly operating an interstate racket that produced and sold forged government identity documents through a website. The racket was uncovered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police.
The accused, identified as Bideshi Saw and Santosh Kumar, are believed to be part of an organised network that created counterfeit Aadhaar cards, voter identity cards, PAN cards, residence certificates, caste certificates, birth and death certificates, and other government documents. These forgeries were sold online in exchange for payments made through digital platforms.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinit Kumar, head of the IFSO unit, the forged documents closely resembled genuine government-issued records. They could have been misused for identity theft, impersonation, cheating, financial fraud, and obtaining genuine documents using fake credentials.
During the investigation, police officers created a dummy user account on the website. By paying ₹100, they obtained forged Aadhaar and voter identity cards carrying fictitious personal details and a photograph. Examination of the Aadhaar document revealed that its QR code only reflected the information manually entered by the user and was not linked to the official Aadhaar database, confirming the document was forged.
The investigation traced the mobile number and UPI account used for payments to Mr. Saw, a resident of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Following his interrogation, police arrested Mr. Santosh from Patna. Mr. Saw handled the receipt of payments, while Mr. Santosh managed the website's backend operations and customer records.
Authorities have noted that the racket highlights the growing sophistication of cybercrime targeting identity documents. The use of a website to sell forgeries underscores the need for public vigilance when dealing with online services claiming to provide government documents.
The Delhi Police have warned that identity document fraud can lead to serious consequences, including financial loss and legal complications. Citizens are advised to verify the authenticity of any document issued through unofficial channels and report suspicious websites to law enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing to identify other individuals involved, including facilitators and customers who procured forged documents. The police have urged anyone with information about similar rackets to come forward.
