Possessing Aadhaar or PAN Does Not Grant Citizenship Under Citizenship Act, 1955: Bail Denied in Forgery Case

A person does not acquire Indian citizenship solely by possessing identification documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, or voter ID, the Bombay High Court ruled while denying bail to an individual accused of illegal entry and residing in India with forged documents. The court emphasized that the Citizenship Act, 1955, governs the acquisition and loss of citizenship, and identification documents serve only for identification or service access. The accused allegedly entered India without valid travel documents and procured forged Indian identification and passport documents. The court highlighted the distinction between lawful citizens and illegal migrants, noting that illegal migrants are barred from most citizenship routes. Bail was refused due to ongoing investigations into document authenticity and concerns about the accused absconding. The case involves allegations of deliberate identity concealment and document forgery to unlawfully claim citizenship benefits, underscoring the importance of the Citizenship Act in protecting national sovereignty and legal citizenship status.