Photo for representative purpose only

PUNE: The crime branch officials here are probing how and from where a 24-year-old Uzbek woman recently rescued from a flesh trade racket possessed an Aadhaar card with her photograph and a New Delhi address.

The woman was rescued from a five-star hotel on Apte Road last week following a raid by the city police’s social security cell. The police had on July 26 deported Afghan national Abdul Hamid Qadiri (24), who came to Pune in 2013 on a student visa, married a local girl, had a child and secured ID documents such as Aadhar and PAN cards.

Social security cell inspector Manisha Zende said, “We are yet to ascertain how she secured the Aadhaar card and what documents she had submitted to get it. It’s a case of forgery. We have submitted a couple of reports to the UIDAI in New Delhi and also to the Foreigners’ Registration Office here with all details. We will soon deport the Uzbek woman.”

Police probe revealed that the woman had come to India on a tourist visa. The police said she was in touch with pimps in India before she started her journey to the country.

A Deccan police officer told TOI that during questioning, the woman said she had given her passport details to an agent in Delhi and got the Aadhaar card from him. “We suspect that it is an original Aadhaar card obtained on submission of fake and misleading documents. The agent also informed her to use the Aadhaar card extensively while travelling within India. We are trying to find out the places she visited in the country.”

Aadhaar enrolment officials said having the card is not a proof of nationality. An Aadhaar card can be issued to anyone residing in the country for over six months or 182 days, provided he or she submits one of the 18 listed identity cards and an address proof for the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application for enrolment.

An official said though there’s no barrier in issuing Aadhaar cards to foreigners if they submit the necessary documents, a circular dated November 15, 2017 stated that it has to be checked whether these people avail of any benefits. The laws regarding submitting and linking of Aadhaar for availing of various services and benefits apply to the resident as per the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

