Delhi police arrest accused who forged Aadhaar, birth certificate to marry 16-year-old minor

NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown against child exploitation and document fraud, the Delhi Police have arrested a 27-year-old absconding man who allegedly kidnapped a 16-year-old minor girl and forced her into marriage using forged identity documents.

The accused, identified as Vikas, was apprehended from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district in connection with FIR No. 973/2023 registered at Okhla Industrial Area Police Station under Sections 363, 366, 468, and 471 of the IPC, alongside Sections 9 and 10 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

According to Delhi Police, the accused had allegedly kidnapped a 16-year-old girl and facilitated her child marriage by arranging forged documents, including a fake birth certificate and a forged identity card, to falsely portray the minor as an adult. Officials stated that repeated notices issued to the accused went unheeded as he had absconded and was continuously changing locations to evade arrest.

The operation was led by Woman Sub-Inspector Sunil, who, along with a team of police personnel, carried out sustained technical surveillance, mobile analysis, local inquiries, and intelligence gathering over several days to track the accused. Acting on specific intelligence, the police team conducted a raid at Jawan Sikandpur in Aligarh on August 3 and apprehended the accused despite his attempt to flee.

During the investigation, police are working to identify the rented accommodation where the minor was allegedly confined, the Arya Samaj temple where the marriage was solemnised, and the individuals involved in preparing the forged documents. Incriminating evidence and forged documents are currently being recovered, officials said.

The accused was produced before a local court, which granted a one-day police custody remand for further interrogation. Delhi Police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and further legal action will be taken against all co-conspirators involved in the case. (ANI)