'21 foreigners got Aadhaar, voter IDs'

As many as 21 foreign nationals staying illegally in Bengaluru have been issued Aadhaar cards and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) by officials who violated norms. This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara in Legislative Council on Tuesday.

In a written reply to BJP MLC Lahar Singh, Parameshwara said the government is keeping a watch on such foreign nationals across Bengaluru.

“We have been registering cases against such illegal settlers and producing them before the court. Following the courts’ directions, they are deported,” he explained.

Reacting to the issue, Bengaluru city police commissioner T Suneel Kumar told DH that all the 21 have been identified.

Cases registered

“We have already booked cases against such illegal immigrants. The Aadhaar enrolment centres that issued them with cards have also been raided and seized. The officers who had attested their documents for Aadhaar and EPIC cards are also facing charges,” he explained.

According to the commissioner, of the 21, a few claiming to be from West Bengal have obtained EPIC cards.

“We are verifying their credentials and if they are proven wrong, they would also be deported,” Suneel Kumar clarified.