E-Paper
Lucknow-based gang making fake certificates busted
“During interrogation,gang members confessed to their crimes. They revealed that they had obtained the franchise for creating fraudulent birth, death and Covid vaccine certificates through a fake website and software from Mohammad Sahil in Ghaziabad.
An organised gang involved in issuing 436 fake franchises for creating birth, death, and Covid vaccine certificates, was busted by a special task force (STF). Three of the gang members were arrested at the Barabirwa Nahariya Crossing in Lucknow on Saturday. The gang’s mastermind, Shahil, was arrested a day earlier in Ghaziabad, leading to the breakthrough.
The accused were identified as Mohammad Arman from Bahraich, Sahim Ansari from Kushinagar and Mohammad Afzal from Jaunpur district. The STF recovered three laptops, five mobile phones, one Aadhar Card, one PAN card, 15 forged documents and ₹1.25 lakh in cash.
Additional SP, STF, Vishal Vikram said that the STF had been investigating the gang, which was engaged in producing fake birth, death and Covid vaccine certificates using counterfeit websites and software. Through these certificates, including fake Aadhaar cards, the gang facilitated the unauthorised utilisation of various government schemes and insurance claims.
The gang members, including the mastermind Sahil, had distributed 436 franchises across India. Sahil and three other members of the gang were arrested in Ghaziabad on Friday. Based on Sahil’s disclosures led to the arrest of three gang members at Nahariya Crossing in Lucknow.
“During interrogation, Mohammad Arman, Sahim Ansari and Mohammad Afzal confessed to their crimes. They revealed that they had obtained the franchise for creating fraudulent birth, death and Covid vaccine certificates through a fake website and software from Mohammad Sahil in Ghaziabad. They were aware that Sahil, the franchise provider, was a fraudster, and he was using a deceptive website closely resembling authorised ones to deceive the general public. The police are currently investigating the departments where these fake certificates on birth, death, and Covid vaccination were utilised,” said the officer.
