Four arrested in fake ration card fraud

Samta Nagar police have arrested four members of a gang involved in preparing fake ration cards and driving licences.

“Following a tip-off, police laid a trap near Thakur cinema in Kandivili and arrested the culprits with 11 fake ration cards and 9 driving licences. They had come to the spot in a car to deliver the documents,” said A Kenjale, senior police inspector, Samta Nagar police station.

“After preliminary investigation, we have confiscated equipment like monitor, scanner, printer, fax machine, cartridges, stamp paper and tracing paper valued at Rs 11.17 lakh from their office in Mira Road,”said Kenjale.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mehul Bharat Randeria, 31, Hafis Shaikh, 40, Kishore Soni alias Kaka, 42, Khalid Khan, 27.

“We are also investigating if the gang supplied fake documents to those involved in underworld crime,” said a police official on condition of anonymity.

Police said Randeria is the mastermind behind this racket. He did his diploma in computers from a private institute. Shaikh was involved in preparing a logo in rubber stamp. The stamp which was later used to attest ration cards and driving licences.

Kaka was by Dindoshi police and Kandivili police in a similar case about 2 years ago.
“The fake documents were used as address proof to secure various loans. The police are investigating if other people are also involved in the racket,” the police official said, adding, “in the course of investigation, we found that more than 100 people have taken personal loans using the fake documents.”