The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a key operative of an organized cyber fraud syndicate for creating thousands of fake Ayushman Bharat cards for ineligible beneficiaries, leading to a significant financial loss to the government.
Arrest Details
The accused, identified as Chak Sheru alias Abhishek alias Ajay, a 25-year-old BSc graduate from Hardoi currently residing in Lucknow, was arrested on June 2 from Budheshwar under Para police limits. The arrest was carried out by a joint team of the STF cyber unit and the Lucknow Cyber Crime police. During the operation, authorities recovered a laptop, CPUs, a monitor, a thumb scanner, a webcam, a printer, a mobile phone, identity documents, forged Ayushman records, a seal, and Rs 1,320 in cash.
Modus Operandi
Additional SP of STF, Vishal Vikram Singh, revealed that the gang used an illegal portal to bypass Aadhaar-based OTP verification. This allowed them to include ineligible individuals' names in legitimate beneficiary families. The OTPs were sent to the new applicant instead of the family head, and the fraudulent entries were approved with the help of insiders linked to Implementation Support Agencies and the State Health Agency.
Scale of Fraud
The accused confessed to joining the network in 2025 and processing five to six fake cards daily. Over the course of a year, he generated approximately 1,500 fraudulent cards. Police investigations indicate that many of these cards were used to avail free medical treatment, causing substantial losses to the government exchequer.
Authorities are now probing the wider network and have not ruled out further arrests. The case highlights the need for enhanced security measures in government welfare schemes to prevent such cyber frauds.
