KASUR: The tehsil administration on Thursday busted a gang of swindlers who would collect CNICs and cash from women on the pretext of Ehsaas Kafaalat programme and get cellular SIMs through biometric verification.

Following the information, a team headed by Assistant Commissioner Aurangzaib Sidhu raided a house at Sheikh Bhago village in the limits of B-Division police station. The team arrested four suspects - Basharat Ali, Muhammad Mansha, Mansha Kambo and Ali Raza - while Nafees Ahmed managed his escape.

Police also recovered scores of CNICs, SIMs and biometric machines.

AC Sidhu said some women had complained that the suspects had been running the illegal business for the last several weeks. Sidhu said the suspects would get Rs2,000 from women for registering them with the Ehssas Kafaalat programme.

The AC said the swindlers were also receiving Rs6,000 from each woman to facilitate them in getting the money under the programme.

Later, B-Division police lodged a criminal case under section 420 (cheating and fraud) of Pakistan Penal Code. Further investigation is under way.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2022