Fake Aadhaar card racket catering to Nepali, Bangladeshi citizens busted at Panitanki

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, SILIGURI, NOVEMBER 9, 2024: A fake Aadhaar card racket was busted at Panitanki, along the Indo-Nepal border, on Friday evening after a joint operation by the Military Intelligence, Sukna, and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Naxalbari, along with the Kharibari Police Station. 

One person was arrested for forging documents and selling fake Aadhaar cards to Nepali and Bangladeshi citizens.

SDPO Naxalbari Neha Jain stated that, following a tip-off, the team raided a shop offering online services and a photo studio next door at Badra Jote, under Kharibari Police Station. Jain urged Nepali and Bangladeshi citizens not to fall victim to such scams.

The team seized fake Aadhaar cards and discovered several Nepali citizens who had come to receive the fraudulent documents. A scrutiny of the computer revealed several fake documents, including Aadhaar cards, and provided more details about the racket. The raid was conducted around 1 pm on Friday and continued into the evening.

The accused used to charge between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 from Nepali and Bangladeshi citizens for the fake Aadhaar cards, asking for only their photos for the document-making process. Fake Aadhaar cards are often used to purchase land in India or to seek jobs in Gulf countries.

This time, the Army Intelligence from Sukna Headquarters took an active role in busting the racket.

KalimNews: Sonai Sarkar, who was taken into custody, was presented before the Siliguri Court on Saturday. According to police sources, Sarkar had been arrested earlier on October 2, 2023, in Phansidewa for assisting a Bangladeshi citizen in obtaining a fake Indian ID.