Man arrested in Gurugram for making aadhaar cards illegally

A man, who allegedly issued Aadhaar cards using a machine allotted to another person, was arrested in Manesar on Wednesday

A man, who allegedly issued Aadhaar cards using a machine allotted to another person, was arrested in Manesar on Wednesday. Police said that the accused had allegedly preserved the thumb impression of a woman, who had been authorised to operate the machine, on a plastic sheet and used it to make the cards for which he also charged extra money.

(FILES) This file photo taken on January 18, 2017 shows a visitor giving a thumb impression to withdraw money from his bank account with his Aadhaar or Unique Identification (UID) card during a Digi Dhan Mela, held to promote digital payment, in Hyderabad. (AFP)

The accused, Vinod (26), was arrested from Manesar following a complaint from additional deputy commissioner’s (ADC) office in Gurugram, deputy commissioner of police Rajesh Kumar said. Police said the accused had been making such cards for the last three months.

On September 6, the accused had allegedly assaulted officials from the ADC’s office, who visited a shop from which he was issuing Aadhaar cards in Manesar, police said. Later, the officials complained at the ADC’s office and the complaint was forwarded to the Manesar Police Station, a police officer privy to the case said. An FIR was registered at Manesar Police Station on Wednesday under sections 420 (cheating), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.

The woman to whom the machine was allotted by the government has been identified, but is yet to be arrested.

The ADC’s office had formed a team to find operators who were charging extra money for issuing Aadhaar cards and it was during these inspections that they found Vinod. “On September 6, Vinod attacked the officials and later fled the area. He later gave back the machine to the woman from whom he had taken it,” the officer said.