Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has foiled an attempt to manufacture fake Aadhaar cards through the Akshaya Center in Malappuram district. Allegedly, an attempt was made to organize fake Aadhaar cards using AnyDesk, a remotely controlled software, through the computer systems of the Akshaya Center in Alingal near Tirur in Malappuram district.
It has been found that mafia gangs are behind this, producing Aadhaar cards for infiltrators in Bangladesh border areas of West Bengal. They cannot do Aadhaar enrollment from these areas as the central government has blocked them. That is why the systems at Akshaya Center in Malappuram were used for fraud.
When the data was uploaded, the latitude and longitude information was received by the UIDAI. GPS needs to be activated while the Aadhaar machine is turned on. It is possible to know precisely from which part of the country the data is being uploaded.
UIDAI learned that two machines collected and uploaded the biometric data. Biometric information collected using unregistered devices was being uploaded through Malappuram facilities.
Such mafia groups, which are a threat to national security, organize and provide Bharatiya documents to infiltrators. Through them, there is a possibility that documents, including Aadhaar, will even reach the terrorists. Authorities also suspect a Pakistan spy connection.
It is indicated that the central government has started investigating why the Malappuram district was chosen for hacking by such groups. (Malappuram has around 75% Muslim population.)
Haris Rehman, the owner of Akshaya Center, claimed that the terrorist mafia gangs took control of the computer through AnyDesk by deceiving that they were from UIDAI and for verification of his Akshaya Center.
AnyDesk is a remote desktop application that provides remote access to personal computers and other devices. It offers remote control, file transfer, and VPN functionality. Fraudsters pose as tech support agents and trick victims into downloading the software, which gives them full access to the victim’s computer and data.
Outsiders prepared 38 Aadhaar cards by infiltrating the Aadhaar system of Rehman’s Akshaya Kendra. UIDAI found that the hacking was done from the border area of Bharat. It is indicated that this was done for those who have no address or documents in Bharat. It is also suspected of espionage activities.
The authorities have suspended these Aadhaar cards after 38 entries were found to be of this nature enrolled from the Aadhaar machine at the Akshaya Center in Tirur. The alleged hack took place on 12 January.
Rehman claimed his Akshaya Center received a phone call from a person who introduced himself as the UIDAI admin from Delhi. The Aadhaar machine in his Akshaya has completed 10,000 enrollments, and the admin called for verification. To complete the verification, the admin asked to connect to AnyDesk.
Then Rehman’s Akshaya was asked to enrol one person for the ‘inspection.’ After doing this, the person who introduced himself as admin disconnected the Anydesk connection, saying everything was fine and to continue working.
During this time, it is suspected that the fraudsters loaded the required data into the Aadhaar machine at the Akshaya Center in Tirur. Every Aadhaar enrollment goes through detailed verification by the UIDAI. The data passed all these tests and received final approval. The fraud was exposed on 25 January when the poor quality of the fingerprints and eye scans came to UIDAI’s notice.
On examination, it was found that these were uploaded from the Aadhaar machine in Tirur. Still, the locations of the applicants, including fingers and eye scans, were from the states of West Bengal and Jharkhand.
The authorities informed Kerala on 30 January. The Aadhaar machine at Tirur Akshaya Center was logged out of the system. Rehman has filed a complaint with the Tirur Circle Inspector of Police. He also filed a complaint with the district cybercrime seeking an investigation into the incident.
