KOCHI: Even as the state government collects data on migrant workers, Njarackal police are in a fix after a West Bengal native labourer held with ganja was found to be in possession of two Aadhaar cards with the same number, but bearing different names and photographs. Officers suspect that agents operating in West Bengal and Assam arrange fake documents for workers seeking to travel to other states for jobs.
It was on October 6 that the 27-year-old man was arrested from Kalamukku, in Vypeen. Police seized 71.30g of ganja from 10 zip covers intended to be sold to customers. However, officers were surprised when they checked his identity cards. Of the two Aadhaar cards in his possession, one had the name Shabul Haque, while the other bore the name Afak Ali. Both cards also had different photographs. The name on his voter ID card read Shabul Haque.
Apart from the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he was charged with forgery, forgery for the purpose of cheating and using a forged document. The man is currently in judicial custody. Considering the pattern of many recent arrests from Ernakulam Rural police limits, there is also suspicion that he is a Bangladeshi citizen.
“He claims that both Aadhaar cards were issued to him by authorities in West Bengal. However, it is not possible to issue Aadhaar cards with the same number under two different names. As we cannot verify their authenticity from here, we have to send a team to West Bengal as part of the probe,” said Yesudas A L, Njarackal SHO.
The investigation team has filed a petition in court seeking the man’s custody for further interrogation. Police maintain that while preparing a database of migrant workers, authorities should ensure that their documents are authentic.