Mangaluru: Police arrest man operating fake document racket

Team Udayavani, Oct 6, 2023, 8:16 PM IST

The Mangaluru CCB police have apprehended a man accused in the production and sale of counterfeit documents to the public.

Operating under the guise of an organization called “Help Line Mangalore,” the suspect conducted these fraudulent activities from a room located on the ground floor of Vishwas Crown Apartment on Kankanady-Pumpwell Road, Mangaluru. Counterfeit documents, including Aadhaar cards, ration cards, number certificates, birth certificates, and more, were being manufactured at this location.

The police initiated an investigation upon receiving information about public and government deception involving counterfeit documents being presented as authentic. This led to a raid on the apartment where the illicit document production was taking place.

The accused, identified as Bernard Roshan Mescarenus (41), a resident of Rutuvilla near Infant Mary Church, Bajjodi, Bikarnakatte in the city, was arrested during the operation. Authorities seized a range of fake documents, such as counterfeit Aadhaar cards, fake ration cards, fraudulent business licenses, spurious SSLC marksheets, and bogus birth certificates, each prepared under different aliases.

It was discovered that individuals who had obtained these counterfeit documents over the past three years had used them to secure loans from banks and various government agencies, incurring significant financial losses to the government exchequer and the affected departments.

Preliminary investigations have confirmed instances of both government and public deception in this case. Additionally, law enforcement seized essential equipment used in the production of counterfeit certificates, including a laptop, color printer, laminator machine, and biometric devices.

A case related to this matter has been registered at the Mangaluru Central Police Station.

The investigation into this case is being conducted by the officers and personnel of the CCB unit, under the guidance of Anupam Agarwal, the city commissioner of police. Further developments will be reported as the case unfolds.