Mangaluru: Urwa police have uncovered a major forgery racket centred on creating fake Aadhaar cards and pahani (land record) documents to deceive government offices and courts. The operation came to light on September 9, 2025, following a tip-off and subsequent investigation conducted by PSI Harish M R of Urwa police station.

The bust: who was arrested and when

  • Around 9.30 pm on September 9, police acting on credible information located a man named Abdul Rehman, aged 46, from Bappanadu village, Mulki, standing by the roadside in Daddalkad, under Urwa police jurisdiction.

  • Upon questioning, Rehman confessed that he had been working in collusion with a person named Nishant, who operates an online service centre/shop in Kodialbail, Mangaluru.

    • Modus operandi: how the forgery worked

    • Rehman and Nishant used computer software to edit or falsify Aadhaar card details, including names, photographs, phone numbers, addresses, sometimes even the Aadhaar numbers themselves.

  • The forged Aadhaar cards and altered identity documents were then used to present as genuine in government departments and even in courts—one misuse reported was obtaining bail in ongoing legal cases.

  • Phone evidence: Two mobile phones were seized from Rehman. On one of them, several altered Aadhaar cards were shared via WhatsApp with a contact saved as Nishant. One instance involved an Aadhaar saved under the name “Achari,” but when its QR code was scanned using the mAadhaar app, it revealed the verified Aadhaar belonging to someone else (“Dinakara of Panjikal, Dakshina Kannada”), showing clear tampering.

    • Documents involved: Aadhaar & pahani

    • The key documents forged were Aadhaar cards (identity documents issued by UIDAI) and pahani documents (land records) used for proving land ownership, rights and boundaries.

  • These documents are critical in many legal, administrative, and property-related dealings in India; authentic land/pahani documents are often required by courts, revenue offices etc. The forging thus had the potential to facilitate frauds in multiple sectors.

    • Investigation status & implications

    • Rehman has confessed to his role, and police confirmed that they are investigating the role of Nishant further. More arrests are expected.

  • Two more cases are likely to be registered in connection with related forgeries.

  • The misuse of altered documents in court proceedings (for bail etc.) suggests this is not just identity or land fraud, but could have serious legal ramifications. The authorities may need to verify if any judicial orders issued on forged documents need review.

    • Background & significance

    Forgery of Aadhaar and land records is a recurring issue in many parts of India. Aadhaar is supposed to be a secure identity document with built-in verification via QR codes, biometric data etc., but as seen here, misuse can occur by modifying visible data while retaining authentic QR codes that map to other individuals. Pahani (also called “revenue records” or “land records”) are equally important since land is a key asset in India; forged records can lead to illegal land transfers, disputes, evictions, etc.

    Conclusion

    MANGALURU: The arrest of Abdul Rehman and the uncovering of this fake Aadhaar-pahani racket underline how identity and property documentation systems can be exploited. With one key accused in custody and further arrests expected, the case is likely to expose broader networks and misuse. This incident also highlights the urgent need for stricter verification of digital IDs, regular audits, and oversight wherever identity proofs are used—especially in legal and government proceedings—to prevent frauds of this kind.