There is nothing unusual about customers swarming small-scale mobile phone shops near busy transportation hubs. So thought the police officers patrolling the Perumbavoor private bus stand area.
They, however, noted that these shops, located at a complex nearby, were offering printing and photocopying services. Migrant workers would make a beeline to these shops throughout the day and night.
Initially, the police dismissed the buzz of activity as a result of the convenient services and accessibility these shops provided, particularly those operated by the migrants.
However, as the heavy footfall became a regular sight, officers grew suspicious. They initiated an “unofficial” surveillance operation, closely monitoring these shops.
They were alarmed on noticing that a majority of customers were leaving the shops with freshly printed Aadhaar cards and photocopies of ID proofs. Sensing something amiss, the police expanded their inspections under ‘Operation Clean Perumbavoor’, an initiative aimed at cracking down on illegal activities in the town.
By the first week of March, the operation uncovered a full-fledged Aadhaar card forgery racket. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shakti Singh Arya, who was guiding the surveillance team, soon ordered a raid.
Several forged Aadhaar cards were seized from the shops, along with laptops, printers, mobile phones, and about Rs 75,000 in cash. The investigation also uncovered that these shops, although operated by migrant workers, had been sub-leased from local Keralites, he noted.
The police arrested Harijul Islam (26) and Raihanudheen (20), both natives of Juria in Assam’s Nagaon district, who owned and operated ‘Assam Mobile Shop’ and ‘My3 Mobiles’, respectively.
“These shops, providing services like railway ticket bookings and money transfers, were always crowded,” says Sub-Inspector P M Razik, who was part of the operation.
“The preliminary investigation suggests that the accused were found to be creating and distributing fake documents, particularly for migrant workers. The forged Aadhaar cards were sold for around `300 to `500.”
ASP Arya explains that the accused manipulated genuine Aadhaar cards or their copies to create forged ones. “They altered a few digits of the unique ID number, especially the last four digits, and modified the names and details,” he says. “Additionally, they replaced the original photograph with that of the individual seeking the forged document.”
During the investigation, it was revealed that these fake Aadhaar cards were primarily used by the migrants to book railway tickets. However, authorities are yet to confirm whether they were also used to obtain SIM cards or other official documents, he said.
“We are investigating the involvement of other individuals and identifying those who acquired these fake Aadhaar cards,” Arya adds.
Another top officer, who prefers not to be named, says the police are also probing whether “such forged documents have fallen into the hands of Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the state”.
Recently, he noted, a Bangladeshi couple residing in Edavanakkad, Kochi, who had been posing as Indian citizens for several years, was arrested after being found in possession of forged Aadhaar cards, election ID cards, and birth certificates obtained from West Bengal.
“After moving to Kerala, the duo had fabricated additional documents. Using these, they even purchased land here. Hence, we will thoroughly track the fake IDs from the Perumbavoor shops,” the officer says.