Recently, claims have been circulating on social media, citing local media sources, that Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, a cousin of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has acquired Indian citizenship by obtaining an Aadhaar card in India. It is being alleged that Mr. Jewel registered his name in the Aadhaar system as Bidhan Mallik and listed his father’s name as Mudindranath Mallik.
See media reports regarding this claim Bangladesh Pratidin, Kalbela, Janakantha, Pratidiner Bangladesh (YouTube), Ittefaq (YouTube), Dhaka Post (YouTube), Shomoyer Alo, Ekushey TV, Boishakhi TV (Facebook), Natun Shomoy (YouTube), Face the people (Facebook), The Daily Campus, Amader Barta, Swadesh Pratidin, Dhaka Prakash.
See Facebook posts making the same claim here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive), here (archive).
See YouTube videos making the same claim here (archive), here (archive).
See X (formerly Twitter) posts making the same claim here (archive), here (archive), here (archive).
Fact-check
An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the claim regarding Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel’s Indian Aadhaar card is not accurate. In fact, Rumor Scanner has confirmed through multiple methods that the so-called Aadhaar card is fake.
At the beginning of the investigation, Rumor Scanner analyzed the alleged Aadhaar card. On the left side of the card is a photo of Sheikh Jewel. His name is written in both Bengali and English as ‘Bidhan Mallik.’ Similarly, the father’s name is written as ‘Mudindranath Mallik.’ The date of birth listed is January 1, 1959. The Aadhaar card number is given as 844205675726. There is also a QR code placed on the right side of the card.
Rumor Scanner verified the Aadhaar number using the official government app. With assistance from several Indian fact-checkers, they checked the number and found no information about any individual in the database corresponding to that number.
In other words, it has been confirmed that this is a fake Aadhaar card.
Aadhaar is a specific identification tool. It is required by Indian citizens as proof of identity for opening bank accounts, Demat accounts, and for various other daily official activities. When applying for this card, necessary documents such as voter ID, along with proof of identity and address, are required. In analyzing the alleged Aadhaar card, Rumor Scanner collected and examined copies of Aadhaar cards from citizens of several Indian states. In none of these cards was the father’s name found on the front side. On at least three of these cards, it was clearly written that the Aadhaar card is to be used as proof of identity only, not as proof of citizenship. In that sense, it is similar to a birth registration certificate in Bangladesh.
To understand whether a father’s name is always shown on the front of an Aadhaar card, Rumor Scanner consulted an Indian fact-checker. He informed Rumor Scanner that the basic format is the same for all cards. In many cases, the father’s name is included in the address section (on the back of the card), so it is not shown on the front.
He explained, There are two types of Aadhaar cards. One resembles the one shown in the claim. After the Aadhaar card is generated, it is initially printed on a large, thick sheet of paper and given to the applicant. If someone wants a permanent, higher-quality version, they can apply for a Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) card by paying a higher fee, around 200 rupees.
The Indian fact-checker also noted that Aadhaar card designs can vary slightly depending on the state. He said, “Over time, Aadhaar cards have been made in various ways. There will be minor differences based on the state, but the core format remains the same — photo, name, date of birth, and Aadhaar number on the front; address and Aadhaar number on the back. In some cases, the QR code is on the front, in others, on the back. Also, the primary language of the state is used first on the card, with English always appearing as the second language.”
After confirming that the alleged Aadhaar card is fake, Rumor Scanner asked the fact-checker what could be done using such a counterfeit card. He explained, Fake Aadhaar cards are widely produced in India. With one, someone might be able to check into a hotel, because in such places, they often just photocopy the card and keep it on file. But there would be problems when trying to get a SIM card, as that process requires fingerprint verification and OTP verification via a registered phone. When an Aadhaar card is created, fingerprints are taken, and a mobile number is registered, which receives the OTP. However, even that can be faked in some cases.
He further noted, There are even larger-scale fraud operations where people manage to register fake credentials in the database with fingerprints and Aadhaar numbers. However, in Sheikh Jewel’s case, no record of his identity was found in the official database. Additionally, the father’s name on the card, ‘Mudindranath Mallik,’ raises suspicion. Rumor Scanner suspects this name might have been fabricated to resemble the name of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, possibly as an attempt to reinforce the illusion.
There have also been arrests in India for producing fake Aadhaar cards. For example, in November last year, a person in Bengaluru was arrested for allegedly creating fake Aadhaar cards and other forged documents for some individuals who had taken refuge in India from Bangladesh.
As part of the investigation, Rumor Scanner later verified the alleged Bangladeshi National ID card of Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel. According to the ID, his name is Shaikh Salahuddin. His father’s name is Shaikh Abu Naser and his mother is Razia Khatun. His date of birth is January 1, 1967, and the ID number is 19672692619000033.
However, one issue that initially raises suspicion is that the ID card is claimed to belong to Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, yet the signature reads “Naser.” Sheikh Naser is Mr. Jewel’s father. Typically, the signature on an ID card belongs to the individual, not their father. Additionally, there are spelling errors in the English text on this card — “Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh” is misspelled. “Government” is written as “Governmment” and “People’s” as “Peple’s.”
To investigate further, Rumor Scanner verified the NID number (19672692619000033) on the Election Commission’s website and found initial confirmation that the number does correspond to an existing NID. Further verification through the website of the National Pension Authority confirmed that the NID number indeed belongs to Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel. Rumor Scanner also verified that his parents’ names and date of birth match. However, the signature could not be verified through open sources. In other words, except for the signature, all other information in the alleged NID matches Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel’s original NID. Yet, given the spelling errors in the English version of Bangladesh’s official name, it appears that this is not the original NID. Instead, a fake image of the NID card was created using information from the real NID.
Therefore, the claim that Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel, cousin of Sheikh Hasina, possesses an Indian Aadhaar card is completely false.
Sources
- Statement from Indian Fact Checker
- Rumor Scanner’s own investigation
