Aadhaar biometrics cannot be used for crime investigation: UIDAI

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Friday said biometrics data collected by UIDAI cannot be used for crime investigation.

“As per Sec 29 of the Aadhaar Act, the biometrics data collected by UIDAI can be used only for the purpose of generating Aadhaar and for authentication of identity of Aadhaar holders and cannot be used for any other purpose,” UIDAI said in a statement.

The clarification came after reports about purported use of Aadhaar biometric data for the purpose of crime investigation.

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) director Ish Kumar said on Thursday that police be given “limited access” to Aadhaar data to help them catch first-time and for identification of dead bodies.

However, UIDAI added that Section 33 of the Aadhaar Act allows a very limited exception and permits the use of or access to Aadhaar biometric data in cases involving national security after pre-authorisation by an oversight committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

“This is also the consistent stand taken by Union of India in the ongoing Aadhaar case in the Supreme Court. It may be noted that based on this legal position, UIDAI has never shared any biometric data with any crime investigating agency. It may be underlined here that when Mumbai High Court gave orders to share biometric data with an investigating agency in a particular case, the matter was taken up to the Supreme Court which stayed that order,” UIDAI said in its statement.

Speaking at the 19^th All India Conference of Directors of Finger Prints Bureau in Hyderabad on June 21, Kumar had said there was a need for access to Aadhaar data to police for the purpose of investigation.

“At present around 50 lakh cases were registered every year in the country and most of them committed by first time offenders who leave their fingerprints, which would not be available in police records. There is a need for access to Aadhaar data to police for the purpose of investigation. This is essential because 80 percent to 85 percent of the criminals every year are first-time offenders with no records with the police. But they also leave their fingerprints while committing the crime. There is a need for limited access to Aadhaar, so that we can catch them,” Kumar said.