Delhi High Court directs UIDAI to disclose information of 450 persons alleged of issuing fake Aadhaar cards for enrolment in training for civil defense
The Delhi High Court directed the UIDAI to disclose information of 450 persons alleged of issuing fake Aadhaar cards for enrolment in training for civil defense.
A complaint of Vijender Gupta was received in the Anti Corruption Branch, New Delhi stating that the manner of recruitment of marshals for DTC buses was illegal. It was further alleged that the recruitment process was manipulated and Kuldeep Pakad, District Magistrate, Shahdara had issued fake certificates, certifying as Delhi residents for making Aadhaar Cards, to over 400 people from his home state i.e. Rajasthan and had been compelled to pay as much as Rs. 2 Lakhs per head.
Furthermore, it was alleged that a large number of Aadhaar Cards with bogus Delhi addresses were made for persons from Rajasthan at the Aadhaar Centre functioning in the office of District Magistrate on 11th and 12th August 2019 – both the days being holidays. On the basis of the aforementioned complaint, an FIR was registered on 24th January 2020 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code at Anti Corruption Branch of GNCTD.
Advocate Kusum Dhalla, APP for the Petitioner/State, prayed before the Court seeking a direction to the Respondent Authority for disclosure of information, as per Section 33(1) of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial And Other Subsidies, Benefits And Services) Act, 2016 (“Aadhaar Act”) in relation to the allegedly fake Aadhaar Cards, that is required for investigation of the case.
Advocate Nidhi Raman, appearing for the Respondent Authority, contended that the Authority has no objection in sharing the information being sought, to the extent and in a manner as permissible under the provisions of the Aadhar Act, upon being directed by the Court.
The single judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh directed the respondent to provide all relevant information, qua the persons named in the petition, as required for the purposes of investigation as per the provisions of the Aadhaar Act.
The court while allowing the petition directed the investigation agency to investigate the matter, upon receiving the requested information, with due regard to the provisions of the statute.
Case title: The State, govt of NCT of Delhi v/s Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
Citation: CRL.M.C. 3314/2021
