Lucknow: Police in Balrampur district lodged an FIR against 27 people accused of holding citizenship of India and Nepal, obtaining Indian identity documents through fraudulent means and availing of govt welfare benefits despite being the citizens of Nepal.The case was registered at Jarwa police station on the complaint of sub-inspector Shambhu Singh, following verification exercise initiated on the basis of a communication from Balrampur district magistrate’s office, dated June 23.The FIR was lodged under sections 318(4), 2023, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, for cheating, and provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.According to the FIR, the accused were found to have secured inclusion in both Indian and Nepalese electoral rolls, despite being residents of Koilabas in Dang district of Nepal.Police said the accused were simultaneously enrolled in voter lists in villages under Balrampur district in UP, while also remaining registered as voters in Ward No. 8 of Koilabas Municipality, Nepal.Investigators claimed that several of the accused fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents, including Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards, by showing addresses in Balapur (Anwardih) under Jarwa police station and Sheetalapur and New Bazaar, Tulsipur, in Balrampur district.The FIR said that after obtaining Indian identity documents, the accused became beneficiaries of various govt welfare schemes meant exclusively for Indian citizens.During field verification, police found discrepancies in addresses mentioned in official records. According to the FIR, one accused, Abdul Rahman, whose Indian voter registration showed him as residing in Balapur village, was found absent at the address during verification.Similarly, investigators found another accused, Abdul Aziz Siddiqui, died several months ago, though his name continued to figure in official records cited during the inquiry. Police said these findings strengthened suspicion that fraudulent documentation had been used in several cases.Police are expected to coordinate with the Election Commission, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and other agencies to verify citizenship records, electoral registrations and identity documents.
