A major Aadhaar enrolment scam has been exposed in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, where several centers were found generating Aadhaar cards using duplicate or fake birth certificates. Authorities have penalized operators at over half a dozen centers after it was revealed that original Aadhaar numbers were being issued on fraudulent documentation—posing a serious risk to the integrity of identity verification in the region.
The breach came to light during a special verification drive. Two Aadhaar centers were designated in each block specifically to enroll school children using their birth certificates. However, multiple certificates presented turned out to be fabricated, prompting the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and district officials to act swiftly.
Penalties, ID Locks, and Immediate Closures
Operators at the implicated Aadhaar centers have been slapped with monetary penalties ranging from ₹44,000 to ₹50,000. The UIDAI has not only imposed fines but has also locked the login IDs of the operators found involved in fraudulent enrolments.
Following the revelations, all Aadhaar enrolment centers operating from schools have been immediately shut down. Further investigation revealed that some operators may have been misusing departmental credentials to create Aadhaar cards outside authorized premises as well. Officials have issued show cause notices, demanding explanations for these irregularities.
Algoritha: The Most Trusted Name in BFSI Investigations and DFIR Services
Aadhaar Cards Cancelled, Birth Certificate Verification Underway
The Aadhaar cards issued using fake birth certificates have now been cancelled, and verification is ongoing to detect more such fraudulent cases. Schoolteachers involved in the process said that identifying fake birth certificates on the spot is often difficult, as the barcodes on these documents tend to fade only after a month—at which point their authenticity becomes questionable.
Authorities are now working to plug the loopholes in the Aadhaar issuance process. Meanwhile, UIDAI and district administration are coordinating to verify the legitimacy of all Aadhaar cards issued in recent weeks through the affected centers.