Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an investigation into what a section of the BJP leaders called a ‘PAN card jihad’.
Mumbai BJP Vice President Acharya Pawan Tripathi submitted a complaint to Fadnavis and the latter has instructed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to investigate the fake PAN card matter.
Tripathi has handed over the “proof” of fake PAN card holders in Malvani area under Malad West Assembly constituency, a suburb of Mumbai. He said that in many Muslim dominated areas, there are reports of people holding more than one PAN cards.
Tripathi has informed Fadnavis that fake PAN cards are being made on a large scale by people of a particular community. He has claimed that thousands of people have got their fake PAN cards made in a planned manner in the Muslim dominated areas. In the details of the Income Tax Department, more PAN cards have been seen than the population, he claimed.
Tripathi further said that this is possible only when a person holds more than one PAN card. There is a possibility of fake PAN card being misused for illegal transactions and money laundering, he alleged.
Tripathi further claimed the possibility of making fake Aadhaar cards, voter cards, ration cards and Ayushman cards in the same way the fake PAN cards are made. He also requested for a thorough investigation into this fraud.