Bahraich: The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Friday busted a large-scale fake Aadhaar card racket operating along the India–Nepal border and arrested the alleged mastermind, Pramod Kumar Nishad. The accused was reportedly trying to flee to Nepal, but STF officials caught him near the Ranjanwa border. Investigations have revealed that Nishad and his associates had illegally created or modified over 18,000 Aadhaar cards.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vishal Vikram Singh, STF had been tracking reports of fake Aadhaar cards being generated in the border region for months. The racket was linked to an earlier case registered in Murtiha police station on October 29, 2025, in which several gang members were already in custody. Their interrogation led investigators to Nishad, who was allegedly the mastermind behind the operation.
Tried to Escape to Nepal Before Arrest
During surveillance, STF traced Nishad’s location near the border. Around 4:30 a.m. on Friday, the team raided the area and arrested him while he was attempting to cross into Nepal. Police recovered a laptop, mobile phone, biometric and retina scanners, webcam, forged documents, cheque book, ATM cards, ₹2,680 in cash, and a car from his possession.
Officials confirmed that Nishad has been booked under the existing Murtiha police case, and a detailed probe into his bank accounts, e-wallets, and electronic devices is now underway.
Bought a Fake Portal via Telegram and WhatsApp
During interrogation, Nishad revealed that he had opened a Jan Seva Kendra (public service center) in 2021 to offer online services. About a year ago, he connected with a man named Aqeel Saifi on Telegram, who offered him a fake portal to generate Aadhaar cards.
Nishad paid ₹35,000 to Saifi through PhonePe, after which Saifi remotely installed the fake Aadhaar software and login credentials on his computer using AnyDesk. This allowed Nishad and his associates to digitally forge documents such as birth and residence certificates, which they later used to issue fraudulent Aadhaar cards.
2,500 Fake Aadhaar Cards Made in Three Months
Nishad confessed that between January and March 2025, he created nearly 2,500 fake Aadhaar cards. Using the illegal portal, he uploaded fake personal data to instantly generate forged certificates. These were used to issue new Aadhaar cards for individuals aged 0–18 or to update existing Aadhaar records.
Investigators believe the gang was selling these fake IDs to residents of border areas, including foreign nationals, raising serious national security concerns.
Sold Login IDs to Expand the Network
Nishad further admitted that he sold the same fake portal and login IDs to others in his network, enabling them to issue fake Aadhaar cards independently. He charged ₹45,000 per login ID, of which ₹35,000 went to Aqeel Saifi while he kept the rest.
According to STF, each fake ID could generate 20–25 Aadhaar cards per day, and the racket is estimated to have created or altered over 18,000 Aadhaar cards in total.
STF Seizes Digital Equipment and Forged Records
During raids, STF recovered a large cache of digital devices and forged documents, including biometric scanners, laptops, webcams, and scanning software, used to mimic authentic government data.
ASP Singh said, “Forensic analysis of these devices will reveal how deep this racket runs. We are also tracking the portal developer, ID suppliers, and other collaborators involved in the network.”
Growing Concern Over Border Cybercrime
Officials say the case underscores the increasing threat of cyber-enabled document fraud in India’s border regions. Experts warn that fake identity documents not only pose a national security risk but can also aid in human trafficking, cross-border smuggling, and terror financing.
STF officials added that the operation has exposed how cybercriminals are targeting government identification systems using advanced digital tools. Investigators are now tracing the financial transactions, mobile numbers, and access logs linked to the portal.
