This is an archive article published on July 16, 2023
Muslim man identified as Hindu in fake Aadhaar card, held after complaint by VHP member in Surat
Police had registered offense under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 419 (punishment of cheating by personation), 465 (Punishment for forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating).
The fake Aadhaar card stated that he was a resident of Rajasthan. (Express File Photo)
A 27-year-old Muslim man who sold garments in a market in Surat was on Saturday arrested for allegedly using a fake Aadhaar card where he used a Hindu name, police said. The complaint was said to be filed by a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Speaking with The Indian Express, Inspector M C Nayak in Punagam said, “The accused had been staying in Surat for the last nine years and he is unmarried. He earlier worked as labourer in the textile market area. For the last one and half years, he had been running a garment shop for women called Ruhi Fashion in the Avadh market.”
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While in the rent document, he identified himself as Ozair Alam, in the fake Aadhaar card, he identified himself as Arjunsingh Bhanvarsingh.
“For the last nine years, locals who could not pronounce his name called him Arjun. This apparently prompted him to change the name. Around one and a half months ago, he forged his name on the Aadhaar card using the computer at the shop. We are trying to find out if he has used the Aadhaar card elsewhere. We have also seized his mobile phone and are looking into it to get clues. We are interrogating him to dig out more details,” Nayak added.
The Avadh market in Punagam in Surat lies in a Hindu-majority area, officials said.
The complaint was filed on Friday night by Narendra Chaudhary, a resident of the Pandesarea area in Surat who is also a VHP member.
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Police had registered offense under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 419 (punishment of cheating by personation), 465 (Punishment for forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating).
In his complaint, Chaudhary alleged that Ozair had made a fake Aadhaar card.
Acting on the complaint, MC Nayak with his team reached the shop . As Alam was taken to the police station, he broke down and disclosed his original name was Ozair Alam, a native of West Champaner district in Bihar.
The fake Aadhaar card stated that he was a resident of Rajasthan.
The fake Aadhaar card stated that he was a resident of Rajasthan. (Express File Photo) 
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