Pune: Rise In Fake IDs & Poor Tenant Verification Fueling Crime, Say Residents

Pune: The rising number of fake documents and the lack of strict tenant verification have become a serious challenge for the Pune city administration, contributing significantly to the increase in crime, said Punekars while speaking with to The Free Press Journal Newspaper.

Many residents claim that despite living in their localities for years, several tenants and even paying guests have not undergone the mandatory police verification process. Adding to the concern are frequent reports of dummy identity cards, such as fake Aadhaar, PAN, and voter IDs, being used by people to rent homes or avail services without proper scrutiny, especially by illegal international immigrants.

“Tenants are supposed to be verified by the police, but in reality, very few house owners follow this rule. The dedicated authorities are not responding well to such issues,” said Vijay Kapre, a senior citizen from Hadapsar.

Azim Shaikh, a resident of Kondhwa, told FPJ that areas like Shivneri Nagar and Tilekar Nagar have become hotspots for illegal immigrants. “Many landlords just take photocopies of Aadhaar cards without checking whether they are genuine. Later, if something goes wrong, it becomes a huge headache for the society as well as the police. As per sources, a few gangs in the area are providing all kinds of fake documents for just ₹5,000–₹6,000,” he added.

Advocate Vrushali Mankar told FPJ, “We have many cases where the police struggle to identify the address of the accused, as it was either fake or registered using forged ID cards. In settlement areas, several gangs are running this nexus. For just ₹500, one can get dummy Aadhaar cards and other documents. After rape cases, the police had assured stricter verification, but now it has become the last priority.”

Forged IDs Undermine Security

Sanjana Dore, a student, said that easy access to forged Aadhaar and PAN cards has made it difficult to trust identity proofs at face value. “Some people even continue to live in the city for years without any trace in police records,” she said.

Advocate Ragini More highlighted the larger risk: “Unfortunately, awareness about this is very low. The use of fake documents raises bigger concerns of fraud and financial crime. The tracking process is not easy for policemen.”

According to Pune Police reports, 66 Bangladeshi citizens have been arrested by police in the last five years, until December 31, 2024. Eight have been deported, while crime cases have been registered against 10 Bangladeshi nationals.