Journalist booked for fake Aadhaar card

NEW DELHI: A journalist, who allegedly used fake identity cards and managed to get an Aadhaar card, has been booked by the Delhi police.

The journalist, who works with a news channel, had in a sting operation showed that one could get an Aadhaar enrolment receipt by submitting forged details. The sting telecasted on March 22 showed the reporter getting the receipt in Noida using forged documents by paying ₹700 to a tout in Jamia Nagar.

Police have registered the case under Section 419(forgery by impersonation), and Sections 34 and 35 (targeted delivery of financial and other subsidies, benefits and services) of the Aadhaar Act. When HT contacted, the journalist said the legal team of his organisation would look into the allegations.

DCP Bhisham Singh, confirmed registration of the FIR on March 23. Police said the case was filed after a complaint from the Delhi regional officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Before applying for Aadhaar at the Noida office, the journalist had reportedly applied for the card using his genuine details. He later paid the touts and got the receipt.

“The Noida office had generated the Aadhaar. At the Delhi office, when officers were about to issue the Aadhaar and were checking his biometric, the system showed the man’s biometric details match with the one issued by Noida office. It meant he had submitted a fake identity card to get the card... Getting two Aadhaar is impossible as the fingers prints and eye scan of applicants are checked before the cards are issued. He wouldn’t have got an Aadhaar from Delhi,” said an UIDAI officer.

THE JOURNALIST HAD IN A STING OPERATION SHOWED THAT ONE COULD GET AN AADHAAR RECEIPT BY SUBMITTING FORGED DETAILS