While raiding the shop from where the brothers would operate, cops also found birth certificates, driving licences, ration cards, and 1,200 passport size photos

January 19, 2013
MUMBAI
Shiva Devnath, Midday

For three long years, two brothers used their computer skills to churn out hundreds of fake documents for clients who needed PAN, Aadhar, ration, voter identity cards in a jiffy. MHB police finally cracked down on the racket on Thursday night, arresting the two brothers from their home in Ganpat Patil Nagar in Dahisar (West). The accused have been identified as Suresh Trinath Maharana (31), and Sanjay Trinath Maharana (28), who were produced before a local court yesterday.

Shiva
The police seized 100 fake Aadhar cards, 80 PAN cards, 13 birth certificates, 10 driving licences, 10-20 voter identity and ration cards from them, as well as 1,200 passport size photos. Suresh Trinath Maharana (31), and Sanjay Trinath Maharana (28) used to take passport size photographs from clients, fudge documents for them, and obtain the cards

Shiva

Running the con
According to the police, Suresh masterminded the racket, while Sanjay assisted his elder brother by bringing in new customers. Suresh is handicapped. The duo used to run a shop named Maa Saraswati Enterprises at Ganpat Patil Nagar, out of which they have been running the racket for the past three years, making bogus documents for these cards. The police seized 100 fake Aadhar cards, 80 PAN cards, 13 birth certificates, 10 driving licences, 10-20 voter identity and ration cards from them, as well as 1,200 passport size photos.

Modus operandi
The duo used to take passport size photographs from clients, fudge documents for them, and obtain the cards. Police officials said the accused also had letterheads with the names of local legislators that they used to dish out recommendation letters. Sanjay was proficient at the computer and together the duo churned out documents resembling originals. They charged Rs 200-500 for each job. They also helped people open bank accounts.
The police have found a list of 150 customers on the duo’s client list.

The accused have been booked under Sections 465 (punishment for forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) 420 (cheating) and
34 (common intention) of the IPC. Subhash Chandra, investigating officer of MHB police station said, “There is a chance that more people will be arrested, who assisted the accused. We are investigating to find out from where they got so many documents including letterheads with the names of local MLA and MPs.”

Rs 200-500
The amount that Suresh and Sanjay took for each job