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Two Mizoram men held for collecting facial biometric data illegally: Assam police
Police said the two allegedly organised camps for facial recognition and biometric registration of local youths at a marriage hall in Silchar town earlier this week
Two residents of Mizoram were arrested for allegedly collecting facial biometric data from local residents in Assam’s Cachar district in the name of an American multinational company without proper authorisation, police said on Thursday.
Cachar district’s additional superintendent of police (crime), Rajat Pal, said the two allegedly organised camps for facial recognition and biometric registration of local youths at a marriage hall in Silchar town earlier this week.
“They were collecting biometric data from youths by offering them small amounts of money without proper authorisation or clear documentation. Hence, we detained them and subsequently arrested them,” Pal said.
Police identified the two suspects as Vanlalrinchhana (33) and Raymond Vatha Chozah (34). According to police, both had been staying in Silchar for the past several months.
“They collected facial recognition data and biometric impressions of more than 200 residents, mostly youths, but they are unable to show any valid reason behind the exercise,” Pal said, adding that the police have registered a case of cheating against them.
“Their actions attract charges of cheating, and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, 2000 have also been added,” he said.
Officers said unemployed youths were allegedly brought to the centre with promises of quick payments. Several participants said they were offered around ₹200 for facial scanning and biometric registration.
“They told us that they had come from Tamil Nadu and were working under some special scheme linked to an American multinational company. They also said we might get better opportunities in future apart from the instant payment, so we agreed,” one of the victims told reporters on Monday.
Police officers said that technical expert teams have been roped in to the investigation to determine the exact purpose behind the biometric data collection exercise.
The two arrested persons were produced before a court on Wednesday and remanded to two days of police custody, officers added.
