Raj ATS widens Aadhaar probe, dummy fingerprints used

TNN

Jaipur: Four days after arresting a man for allegedly using forged biometric data to generate Aadhaar cards in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan Police have widened their probe, placing multiple Aadhaar numbers under scrutiny and launching a statewide audit of enrolment records.

Police said the accused, Kuldeep Sharma, was part of a racket that operated several unauthorised enrolment centres using stolen operator IDs and created Aadhaar identities with dummy rubber fingerprints. Investigators found the gang used both red and white rubber moulds to bypass biometric verification and gain unauthorised access to the system.

Officials in the Rajasthan ATS said they are coordinating with the state’s Dept of Information Technology (DoIT) to retrieve data of cards generated through the compromised operator IDs on Tuesday. “We are mapping every ID issued through these terminals to identify patterns and possible misuse,” a senior officer said.

Preliminary findings suggest the racket may have been active for months, with enrolments carried out at multiple locations to avoid detection. Police suspect several individuals with criminal backgrounds may have obtained Aadhaar cards through the network, enabling them to evade law enforcement or assume new identities.

The probe has also been expanded to track financial links tied to the forged IDs. Officers suspect the fake Aadhaar cards were used to open bank accounts that may have served as conduits for parking illicit funds or routing proceeds of cybercrime.

Sources said forensic teams are analysing seized devices, including biometric scanners and laptops, to determine how system safeguards were bypassed. Investigators are also examining whether insiders or authorised operators knowingly shared credentials or if the IDs were compromised through other means.