UP Police Busts Fake Certificate Racket Operating Through Fraud Websites

Lucknow: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has busted a major fake certificate-making gang. The gang was preparing caste, income, residence, birth, and death certificates online. Two accused have been arrested in this case, and a large quantity of fake documents and technical equipment has been recovered from them. Arrest and Location The operation took place in the Doklahi police station area of Wilhachung district. The STF team, in a joint operation with the local police, arrested two accused: Satyanarayan Halsu (son of Lalhe Verma) and Naveendhu (son of Bhimandhu). Both accused are residents of Village No. 12, Doklahi police station. UP STF cracks down on extortion racket targeting Delhi-NCR entrepreneurs Recovered Items Police recovered a large quantity of forged documents and equipment used to create fake certificates from the accused. The items recovered include: 88 fake caste certificates 2 fingerprint scanners 3 iris scanners 5 fake seals 4 laptops and 1 desktop 3 printers 6 mobile phones ₹2,300 in cash All of this material was seized at the scene and deposited at the police station. Method of fraud Investigation revealed that the accused used fake websites and software to generate documents for people. They used websites that mimicked government websites, such as https://domicile.xyz/admin and Aadhaar enrolment client/ecmp.cmd. The accused would log in to these fake portals with fake login IDs and passwords, then enter citizens' names, addresses, mobile numbers, etc., to generate certificates. They charged people between ₹500 and ₹1,000 for each certificate. The accused claimed that these certificates were completely legitimate and valid for government purposes. Many villagers fell prey to this illusion. [caption id="attachment_169407" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Major Operation by STF and Police[/caption] The secret was revealed due to police vigilance. For the past few months, the Special Task Force (STF) had been receiving information that some private cyber cafes were issuing fake certificates. Based on this information, the team initiated technical surveillance. When the evidence became solid, the STF and Dokhlahi police station conducted a joint operation and arrested both accused. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had been active in this activity since 2016 and had spread their network across various districts. Case registered and further action A case has been registered against both accused under sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), 342, 111 BNS, 66C, 66D, 73, and 74 of the IT Act. The police are now investigating which districts other members of this gang are active in and how many fake certificates have been created so far. Appeal from the Government and Police The government has appealed to citizens to obtain certificates only on government websites and not to fall prey to any private individuals or suspicious websites. UP STF busts Army recruitment racket; Two fraudsters arrested in Meerut If anyone becomes aware of such activities, they can immediately report them to the nearest police station or the cyber helpline 1930. This action is a major achievement for the Special Task Force (STF). By exposing this illegal trade of fake documents, the police have proven that they are cracking down on digital fraudsters. Amidst the rising number of cybercrime cases, this success strengthens the public's sense of trust and security.