Jharkhand seeks NIA probe into recovery of Aadhaar, ATM cards from Maoist base

The Jharkhand government on Thursday recommended a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into last month’s recovery of Aadhaar and ATM cards and bank account documents from a Maoist hideout during an anti-insurgency offensive in Giridih district.

A statement by the state government said, “Chief Minister Raghubar Das has approved the proposal of the state home department for an NIA probe into the incident.”

During a two-day anti-insurgency drive that began March 7, security forces had recovered 1,125 Aadhaar cards, 60 ATM cards and 200 bank account documents from a Maoist hideout in Parasnath forested area under Madhuban police station in Giridih district, officials said.

Forces had also arrested 16 CPI (Maoist) rebels during the raid, besides seizing a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Soon after the raids, security agencies had started investigation if the outlawed Maoist groups are using Aadhaar cards of villagers to open bank accounts and procure mobile SIM cards.

Sources said many of the Aadhaar and ATM cards recovered remained in envelopes, unopened. They did not rule out the possibility of Maoists using Aadhaar cards to open new bank accounts in the months that followed the 2016 demonetisation initiative.

Police also pointed out that Aadhaar cards help members of banned rebel outfits procure mobile SIM cards through civilians, thereby making surveillance difficult for security agencies.