The Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the Pune Police seeking information from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) regarding an accused involved in a murder case.
The case relates to the Wakad police station in Pune, where three individuals were arrested in connection with a 2020 murder. One of the accused presented two Aadhaar cards, indicating different birth years, leading to conflicting age classifications – one as a major in 1999 and the other as a minor in 2003.
When the Pune court directed the accused to be tried as a minor before the Juvenile Justice Board based on the Aadhaar card with the 2003 birth year, the police did not challenge the order but sought documents from UIDAI for both Aadhaar cards. The court suggested that the police should file a case against the accused for having two Aadhaar cards, hinting at impersonation.
Representing UIDAI, Advocate Sushil Halwasiya clarified that Aadhaar is not a proof of age but only a proof of identity. He mentioned that the burden of proof lies with the Aadhaar holder in cases of disputes regarding the correctness of the date of birth. The court found no merit in the police's case and inquired why they did not challenge the Pune court's order. Consequently, the petition was dismissed by the bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Gauri Godse.
Picture Source :
