“Merely Aadhaar, PAN, Voter ID Not Sufficient Proof Of Citizenship”: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court has refused bail to a man accused of being a Bangladeshi national, holding that Aadhaar, PAN, or Voter ID cards can’t by themselves establish Indian citizenship without confirming how they were obtained.

Justice Amit Borkar, delivering the order on Tuesday, said such documents “cannot be treated as conclusive proof of lawful citizenship” when their authenticity is under investigation. He stressed that citizenship claims must be assessed strictly under the Citizenship Act, 1955, including conditions outlined in its relevant sections.

Police allege the applicant forged Indian identity cards and recovered a Bangladeshi birth certificate during the probe. Forensic checks on his mobile phone allegedly revealed two birth certificates—one for the accused and another for a woman said to be his mother—both showing Bangladesh as the birthplace.

The judge noted these findings were significant and rejected bail, but allowed the accused to reapply if the trial is not completed within a year.

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