DTP centre held over fake documents; Karnataka minister denies 'link'

Bengaluru: Three men running a DTP centre in northern Bengaluru allegedly created fake government documents, including Aadhaar cards and voter IDs, according to police.

One of them was Mounesh Kumar, who was photographed with Urban Development and Town Planning Minister Byrathi Suresh. Besides Kumar, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has named two others Bhagath and Raghavendra.

Raja G C, the inspector of the CCB’s women’s protection wing, lodged a police complaint after receiving leads about a “racket of illegal documents” being run in a shop inside Banashankari Complex on Sultanpalya Main Road.

“The shop is operated under the name MSL Techno Solutions, which helps people generate and update Aadhaar cards, apply for scholarships and similar services. But it was also producing fake documents,” a senior officer said.

Other fake documents created at the shop include driving licence and PAN card.

Another officer familiar with the case said the CCB didn’t raid the shop but lodged a complaint after learning about the racket. Suresh, the Hebbal MLA, denied that Kumar is his “close aide”.

“So many people meet me every day and take photos with me. That doesn’t mean I am close to all of them,” he told reporters.

According to the Congress legislator, Kumar may have taken a picture with him somewhere but he is not in his close circles. “The claims that the suspect is my close aide are far from the truth. Let the guilty be punished,” he added.

The trio has been booked by the Hebbal police under IPC sections 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 465 (punishment for forgery), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating).