Latest news with #Aadhaar-verified
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Audit flags duplication in registration of beneficiaries
NEW DELHI: The latest report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), released on Monday, has raised serious questions about the credibility of the Building and Other Construction (BOC) Workers Welfare Board's beneficiary database, pointing to glaring lapses in digital protocols and beneficiary verification processes. Duplicate images, photographs without identifiable faces, and multiple registrations of the same individual raise concerns over the possible misuse of funds and the exclusion of genuine beneficiaries. In its audit for the year ending March 2023, the CAG revealed troubling inconsistencies in the registration of BOC workers. Despite claims of Aadhaar-verified online registrations and renewals, auditors found multiple instances of duplicate registrations, images with no human faces, and the same facial images being linked to different beneficiaries. According to the report, while the welfare board had claimed to have registered nearly 6.96 lakh construction workers, it was able to furnish full data, including image links and actual images, for only 1.98 lakh individuals. Of these, 1.19 lakh beneficiaries were linked to 2.38 lakh images, suggesting that the same image was used more than once, despite Aadhaar authentication being mandatory. Further scrutiny revealed that in 14.8 percent of the 1.98 lakh images submitted, either multiple faces were visible in a single frame or no discernible face could be detected at all. In one instance, a batch of 45 images were associated with 97 workers. 'In 29,453 (14.8 per cent) out of 1.98 lakh images, either multiple (several) faces were available, or no face was available. It was also found that 1,440 faces appeared in 3,116 images at the 0.20 threshold and 2,495 faces appeared in 5,595 images at 0.30 per cent threshold, indicating that the same image was used multiple times,' the report read. 'These discrepancies indicate that the veracity of the beneficiary data maintained by the Board is highly questionable,' the auditors noted, adding that the integrity of the welfare board's database could not be relied upon. The presence of duplicate images, photographs without identifiable faces, and multiple registrations of the same individual raise concerns over the possible misuse of funds and the exclusion of genuine beneficiaries. When the auditors confronted the Delhi Government with the findings, the administration responded that that video of each registered worker was being made mandatory at the time of migration and fresh registration as a corrective measure. 'However, the fact remains that the Department failed to provide a complete and credible database for scrutiny during audit,' the CAG report noted. Highlights
India.com
02-08-2025
- India.com
Tatkal train ticket booking new rule: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw issues clarification, says 'tickets can now only be booked via...'
Indian Railways has made some big changes to make train ticket booking easier, especially for Tatkal tickets. These new rules started from July 1, 2025. Now, only passengers who have Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts can book Tatkal tickets. This means your IRCTC account must be linked to your Aadhaar card to book tickets under the Tatkal scheme. IRCTC and railway authorities have confirmed that Aadhaar verification is compulsory solely for Tatkal ticket reservations. 'Those who haven't linked their Aadhaar can continue booking standard train tickets via the IRCTC portal or mobile app,' an official stated. What did MPs ask in Parliament about Tatkal ticket booking? During the Monsoon Session, 11 members of the Rajya Sabha sought clarification from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw whether Aadhaar-based authentication would be mandatory for Tatkal ticket bookings and whether passengers with Aadhaar-linked IRCTC accounts would receive booking priority. They also questioned how these measures would help curb misuse of Tatkal tickets by agents and touts. Railway Minister's clarification on Tatkal ticket booking? The minister confirmed that only Aadhaar-authenticated users can book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile app and agents are not allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes after bookings open. He explained that these changes have made it easier for genuine passengers to book tickets. It has also helped stop misuse by agents using fake accounts to grab tickets quickly. He added that Indian Railways is always working to improve the system based on feedback from the public. How to link Aadhaar with your IRCTC account: A step-by-step guide Visit the official IRCTC portal at and sign in using your registered User ID and password. Head to the 'My Account' menu and click on 'My Profile.' Select the 'Aadhaar KYC' option from the available list. Input your 12-digit Aadhaar number and tick the consent checkbox to allow IRCTC to verify your identity through UIDAI. An OTP will be sent to your mobile number linked with Aadhaar. Enter the code and click on 'Verify.' Once your details are successfully authenticated, your KYC information will appear on the screen. Click 'Submit' to finalize the Aadhaar linking. To check if the Aadhaar has been successfully verified, go to the 'Authenticate User' section under the 'My Account' tab.
India Today
07-07-2025
- India Today
Bot bazaar busted: Crackdown restricts online operations of Tatkal e-ticketing racket
The online network of Tatkal ticketing agents, employing bots to grab tickets before genuine travellers, appears alarmed following India Today's exposure of their operations, tactics, and investigation into the racket found that agents were using unauthorised platforms to book Tatkal tickets in under 60 seconds. These platforms relied on bots and stolen Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts, putting user data at agents, accompanied by techies who developed the bots, and fake service providers, exploited loopholes in the IRCTC booking system and used Telegram and WhatsApp accounts for their operations. India Today identified over 40 active groups on Telegram and WhatsApp. Some dissolved after the report, while others shifted to more closed and covert channels of communication. Many also wiped their message history to erase traces of their operations.A WhatsApp group named 'Jai Shree Ram Bhai Tatkal Materials' changed its name to 'Jai Shree Ram Bhakton Ka Parivaar' in an attempt to avoid suspicion. Shortly after, the group admin informed members to join a secret backup group, admitting that their details had been exposed in news reports. Telegram and WhatsApp channels began sharing booking details using the view-once feature to avoid group with 851 members, named 'Ocean Extension', was deleted by its admin. The group not only sold Tatkal tickets to users but also offered Tatkal booking software to agents. Its website, which sold bots designed to steal data and speed up bookings — effectively overwhelming the system for genuine users — also disappeared.A WhatsApp group named 'IRCTC Tatkal Update 2.0', which had 194 members and was engaged in the same business, was also deleted. LIMITED IMPACTBut the job is far from done. While groups with traceable digital footprints were swiftly taken down, many others continue to operate with full force, using virtual private servers (VPS) to mask their IP group, with at least 900 members, continues to openly sell the 'Ezyride Tatkal Service' bot to agents. A related website, also offers VPS services and proxy IPs to mask users' identities. Notably, the site was created just three months and agents are now using international phone numbers to mask their identities.'The reality is there will be no lasting impact on the ground,' Triveni Singh, former IPS Officer, Cybercrime told India Today. 'Within minutes, new channels will be set up, new IDs will be used, and the racket will continue. This is part of a massive operation spanning every state in the country, with countless agents using cheaply available bots. At best, they may shift to private Telegram groups or the darknet — but it's not going to stop.'According to Singh, the only way to curb this is through an AI-powered platform developed by the government that would use multiple parameters like geo-fencing, where only a person with a UP Aadhaar number can book tickets for someone else within UP, and AI-based profiling to track the number of times each ID is used. 'Only then can the racket be effectively restricted,' he said.- Ends
India Today
03-07-2025
- India Today
Tatkal in 60 seconds: Telegram racket sells Aadhaar IDs after railway announcement
Tatkal tickets - meant for last-minute travel and released 24-hours before departure- are often bought within seconds by bots or agents, leaving genuine travellers stranded.A network of more than 40 groups active on Telegram and WhatsApp has been identified by India Today's OSINT team. But it represents just a fraction of the larger online black market for e-ticketing, where thousands of agents appear to be active—and business continues to boom, despite government Ministry of Railways has mandated that tickets under the Tatkal scheme can be booked through the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website or app only by Aadhaar-authenticated users starting July 1. Soon after the announcement, the e-ticketing racket on social media channels began peddling Aadhaar-verified IRCTC IDs and OTPs to both agents and buyers. RACKET UNCOVEREDNot just agents, the e-ticketing rackets are rife with tech geeks and fake service providers who claim to exploit alleged loopholes in the IRCTC system, operating through shady Telegram and WhatsApp mask their identities, the admins use international phone Aadhar-authenticated IRCTC user IDs are openly sold for just Rs. 360 each, as per posts seen by India Today. These accounts are allegedly used to generate OTPs for booking Tatkal tickets. But the process isn't manual—agents claim to use bots or automated browser extensions to speed up bookings and overwhelm the system for genuine users. MODUS OPERANDIIndia Today closely observed activity inside one of the racket's Telegram groups, 'Fast Tatkal Software,' for over three months to understand their ticketing racket operators or the technical masterminds behind the illicit network are the ones claiming to sell bots to agents. The agents are asked to install these bots in their browsers and use autofill features to complete bookings quickly, gaining an advantage over genuine users who struggle with slow-loading pages and failed transactions. One video shared by an operator makes the picture bots allegedly autofill IRCTC login credentials, train details, passenger information, and payment data. The entire process is automated and 'guaranteed' to secure confirmed tickets in less than a minute.A conversation in the channel reveals the tech expert guiding agents to evade IRCTC's AI algorithm, which counters bot activity by blocking suspicious IPs. The fraudsters dodge these blocks by using Virtual Private Servers (VPS) to mask their IP operators even claim to be developing features to complete BOTS ON SALEadvertisementIndia Today also discovered that the racket admins operate full-fledged websites selling bots like Dragon, JETX, Ocean, Black Turbo, and Formula One—marketed for 'instant Tatkal bookings' and priced between Rs 999 and Rs 5,000. After purchase, users are guided through Telegram channels on how to use bots are not just used to book tickets but steal information from users. Malware analysis of the bot file named WinZip, downloaded as an APK, was conducted using the malware scanner site VirusTotal. The analysis revealed it to be Trojan - a malware designed to steal user information. On June 04, the Ministry of Railway said in a press release that during the first five minutes of Tatkal booking, 'the bot traffic accounts for up to 50 per cent of overall login attempts.'The deployment of the anti-bot system by IRCTC led to the suspension of over 2.5 crore fake user IDs, the Ministry added. Also, agent bookings are now banned during the first 30 minutes of Tatkal ticket opening for both AC and non-AC categories.- Ends advertisement
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Time of India
New tatkal ticket booking rule from July 1, 2025: How to link Aadhaar card with IRCTC account
Starting tomorrow, July 1, 2025, new tatkal ticket booking rules will come into effect. Announced by the Indian Railways earlier this month, the rule includes mandatory Aadhaar authentication for online booking in addition to OTP verification at reservation counters and booking restrictions for authorised agents during peak hours. These measures are aimed to curb the misuse of the tatkal booking system and enhance transparency. With the mandatory Aadhaar authentication kicking in tomorrow, it is essential for users to link their Aadhaar card with the IRCTC account. Here's how to do it How to link Aadhaar card with the IRCTC account Readers must note that the rule is applicable to both sleeper and AC classes. If you are wondering how to link Aadhaar card with the IRCTC account, then follow these steps Head to Login to your IRCTC account Once logged in, go to 'My Profile' Here, select 'Aadhaar KYC' Next, enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number Proceed to verify using OTP sent on your registered mobile number by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hardly anyone can pass this eye test! Can you? Color Test Online Go To Quiz Undo Your Aadhaar card is now linked to IRCTC account. As per new rule, at least one passenger on the ticket must be Aadhaar-verified. Here's how to add Aadhaar-verified passengers for tatkal ticket booking: Login to your IRCTC account Go to 'My Profile', and then head to 'Master List' Here, add passenger details like name, age, gender, and Aadhaar card number Next, click on 'Verify' to authenticate using OTP Other changes coming to IRCTC tatkal booking As mentioned above, tatkal tickets booked at computerised Passenger Reservation System counters and through authorised agents will require OTP authentication sent to the mobile number provided by the user at the time of booking. Further, in order to prevent bulk bookings during the critical opening period, authorised Indian Railways ticketing agents will not be permitted to book opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window. It must be noted that this restriction applies to AC classes from 10am to 10:30am and to non-AC classes from 11am to 11:30am. 5 Features Android borrowed From iPhone! AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
