‘Aadhaar data not for criminal investigation’

NEWDELHI:THE Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Friday said that biometric data collected for Aadhaar can’t be used for criminal investigations, a day after the National Crime Records Bureau chief made a pitch for data access to police.

The UIDAI said the data can be used only for authentication of identity, adding that no information had been shared with any investigating agency.

Director of the NCRB, Ish Kumar said on Thursday there was a need for access to Aadhaar data to police for investigations. “This is essential because 80-85% of the criminals every year are first time offenders with no records with the police,” he said.

On Friday, the UIDAI said: “Biometric data...can be used only for the purpose of generating Aadhaar and for authentication of identity of the Aadhaar holders and cannot be used for any other purpose. This is also the consistent stand taken by Union of India in the ongoing Aadhaar case in the Supreme Court.”

“...the use of or access to Aadhaar biometric data for criminal investigation is not permissible under Section 29 of the Aadhaar Act, 2016,” it said in a statement.

Hearings in the Aadhaar case, which went on for 38 days across four months, ended in May with the Supreme Court reserving its verdict on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 12-digit identification project.

Petitions have also challenged government orders that made it compulsory to link bank accounts, phone numbers, PAN and filing of income taxes with the Aadhaar unique ID number.