Malavika Avinash's Aadhaar 'misused' to procure SIM card in Mumbai

Bengaluru: Popular Kannada actor Malavika Avinash’s Aadhaar card was reportedly misused by unidentified individuals in Mumbai.

Malavika, known for her performances in blockbuster Kannada films K.G.F.: Chapter 1 and KGF: Chapter 2, received a call from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday morning.

“Around 8:30 am, I received an automated call from TRAI, informing me that my mobile number would be disconnected in two hours. They instructed me to dial 9 for more information,” the actor told DH.

Upon further inquiry, a TRAI official explained that the disconnection was due to all the numbers issued using her Aadhaar card, which had been used in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar to obtain a SIM card that sent illegal and harassing texts.

After receiving the FIR number and additional details, Malavika was advised to follow up with the Mumbai police to avoid the disconnection of her number.

“I requested the TRAI official not to disconnect my number, insisting I hadn’t procured the SIM card. Subsequently, I was put through to a police operator in Mumbai,” she said.

“The sub-inspector who spoke to me was initially unsympathetic. Despite explaining the call from TRAI, he insisted I travel to Mumbai to lodge a complaint,” she said.

Skype call

When the actor told the policeman that she wouldn’t be able to travel to Mumbai, he asked her to come on a Skype video call through which a statement would be recorded and presented to the court. 

“I tried to tell the official that I was an actor, but he was not in a mood to listen. I then created a Skype ID and asked the official to call me. When I came online, he saw me and immediately understood that I was an actor who was in the KGF movie. He showed me his identification and said that he wanted to record my statement. I explained about the notification from TRAI, where the SIM was reportedly purchased and that I had no connection with the incident. The policeman told me that the statement would be presented before the court.” 

She reflected on the experience, noting the critical importance of the Aadhaar card’s security.

“My learning from the whole episode is that Aadhaar is as important as a passport or any other document, which should be preserved very religiously.

“We have to be very careful with it. As citizens, we somehow haven’t given Aadhaar serious treatment, I think.”