In a curious and unsettling case of identity fraud, a 26-year-old named Musibul Shaikh from West Bengal was arrested in Surat for charges of cheating and forgery after living under a false identity for an extended period.
Surat Special Operations group officials raided his rented house at Canal Road in Jahangirpura area, it is reported. Officials seized his PAN card and a copy of his driving licence before handing him over to Rander police station.
He has been arrested under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 319 (crime of cheating by personation), 336(2) (creating false document), 336 (3) (using the false document as genuine one for cheating), and 336 (forgery of valuable security or will).
Shaikh had recently relocated to Surat from Mumbai, where he began a new life with his girlfriend in a posh locality, utilising a counterfeit Aadhaar card as his primary form of identification. According to police reports, Shaikh confessed that he felt compelled to create a fraudulent identity owing to difficulties in securing accommodation in an upscale area.
He pointed to discrimination against him because of his faith, a major obstacle that made it impossible for him to secure appropriate housing.
As the police probe progresses, more details emerge about Shaikh’s forgery operations. Officials are investigating how he made the fake documents and why he wanted to live with his girlfriend in that way. This event not only highlights the lengths people will go to escape discrimination, but it also brings to light the intricacies of identity and belonging in transnationalism and a diverse society.
This case highlights persistent issues faced by some people with bias and discrimination, which, as Shaikh’s story reveals, can push them to take extreme measures.
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