Forged papers, fake IDs: 3 arrested in bail scam

Panchkula: Police have busted an alleged fake bail racket, arresting three persons for using forged documents and fabricated identities to mislead courts and manipulate judicial proceedings.The fraud surfaced in a Panchkula court after doubts were raised over documents submitted by a man posing as a surety in a bail case. During scrutiny, the court flagged major inconsistencies and found that the accused had already stood surety in more than 16 cases, allegedly on the basis of misleading information.Police said verification of Aadhaar and other records pointed to forged documents and fake identity credentials. Acting on court directions, a case was registered at Sector 7 police station and a probe launched.The accused — Rajendra Singh and Krishna, both residents of Karnal, and Ashish Kumar of Panchkula — were arrested on Monday.Preliminary interrogation suggests the trio were part of a wider network allegedly involved in preparing fake surety papers and securing fraudulent bail across multiple districts. Investigators suspect the racket has been operating for a considerable period.Police teams have been dispatched to Karnal to recover forged stamps and documents, and efforts are on to identify other members and trace cases where fake identities may have been used.DCP Srishti Gupta said the probe spans serious offences, including forgery, impersonation and criminal conspiracy. Rajendra and Krishna have been remanded in two-day police custody, while Ashish Kumar has been sent to judicial custody.