The police have taken action against businessmen involved in the sale of numerous SIM cards using counterfeit Aadhaar cards in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Cyber Police has written to all superintendents of police and conducted raids at two locations in Ahmednagar. During the operation, two individuals were apprehended, and a total of 180 SIM cards were confiscated.
Around 75 SIM card vendors in the state have illicitly utilized Aadhaar cards and photographs to register numerous SIM cards under a single name. These vendors have produced a large number of SIM cards using fraudulent documents. One SIM card vendor has been apprehended in Tangadwasti, Ahmednagar city, and 108 SIM cards have been confiscated from his possession. Additionally, the Pathardi police have arrested another SIM card vendor in Bhalgaon, Pathardi taluka, and seized 72 SIM cards from his possession.
Mobile telecommunications companies aimed to boost sales of their SIM cards by offering incentives to sellers. However, some sellers exploited the situation by using Aadhaar cards and customer photos to deceive the companies. They falsely claimed to have sold numerous SIM cards under a single individual's name. The police are currently investigating whether this fraudulent activity was limited to the companies or if there were additional irregularities involved.