<p>Bengaluru: Popular Kannada actor Malavika Avinash’s Aadhaar card was reportedly misused by unidentified individuals in Mumbai.</p>.<p>Malavika, known for her performances in blockbuster Kannada films <em>K.G.F.: Chapter 1</em> and <em>KGF: Chapter 2</em>, received a call from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday morning.</p>.<p>“Around 8:30 am, I received an automated call from TRAI, informing me that my mobile number would be disconnected in two hours. They instructed me to dial 9 for more information,” the actor told DH.</p>.<p>Upon further inquiry, a TRAI official explained that the disconnection was due to all the numbers issued using her Aadhaar card, which had been used in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar to obtain a SIM card that sent illegal and harassing texts.</p>.<p>After receiving the FIR number and additional details, Malavika was advised to follow up with the Mumbai police to avoid the disconnection of her number.</p>.<p>“I requested the TRAI official not to disconnect my number, insisting I hadn’t procured the SIM card. Subsequently, I was put through to a police operator in Mumbai,” she said.</p>.<p>“The sub-inspector who spoke to me was initially unsympathetic. Despite explaining the call from TRAI, he insisted I travel to Mumbai to lodge a complaint,” she said.</p>.<p><strong>Skype call</strong></p>.<p>When the actor told the policeman that she wouldn’t be able to travel to Mumbai, he asked her to come on a Skype video call through which a statement would be recorded and presented to the court. </p>.<p>“I tried to tell the official that I was an actor, but he was not in a mood to listen. I then created a Skype ID and asked the official to call me. When I came online, he saw me and immediately understood that I was an actor who was in the KGF movie. He showed me his identification and said that he wanted to record my statement. I explained about the notification from TRAI, where the SIM was reportedly purchased and that I had no connection with the incident. The policeman told me that the statement would be presented before the court.” </p>.<p>She reflected on the experience, noting the critical importance of the Aadhaar card’s security.</p>.<p>“My learning from the whole episode is that Aadhaar is as important as a passport or any other document, which should be preserved very religiously.</p>.<p>“We have to be very careful with it. As citizens, we somehow haven’t given Aadhaar serious treatment, I think.” </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Popular Kannada actor Malavika Avinash’s Aadhaar card was reportedly misused by unidentified individuals in Mumbai.</p>.<p>Malavika, known for her performances in blockbuster Kannada films <em>K.G.F.: Chapter 1</em> and <em>KGF: Chapter 2</em>, received a call from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday morning.</p>.<p>“Around 8:30 am, I received an automated call from TRAI, informing me that my mobile number would be disconnected in two hours. They instructed me to dial 9 for more information,” the actor told DH.</p>.<p>Upon further inquiry, a TRAI official explained that the disconnection was due to all the numbers issued using her Aadhaar card, which had been used in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar to obtain a SIM card that sent illegal and harassing texts.</p>.<p>After receiving the FIR number and additional details, Malavika was advised to follow up with the Mumbai police to avoid the disconnection of her number.</p>.<p>“I requested the TRAI official not to disconnect my number, insisting I hadn’t procured the SIM card. Subsequently, I was put through to a police operator in Mumbai,” she said.</p>.<p>“The sub-inspector who spoke to me was initially unsympathetic. Despite explaining the call from TRAI, he insisted I travel to Mumbai to lodge a complaint,” she said.</p>.<p><strong>Skype call</strong></p>.<p>When the actor told the policeman that she wouldn’t be able to travel to Mumbai, he asked her to come on a Skype video call through which a statement would be recorded and presented to the court. </p>.<p>“I tried to tell the official that I was an actor, but he was not in a mood to listen. I then created a Skype ID and asked the official to call me. When I came online, he saw me and immediately understood that I was an actor who was in the KGF movie. He showed me his identification and said that he wanted to record my statement. I explained about the notification from TRAI, where the SIM was reportedly purchased and that I had no connection with the incident. The policeman told me that the statement would be presented before the court.” </p>.<p>She reflected on the experience, noting the critical importance of the Aadhaar card’s security.</p>.<p>“My learning from the whole episode is that Aadhaar is as important as a passport or any other document, which should be preserved very religiously.</p>.<p>“We have to be very careful with it. As citizens, we somehow haven’t given Aadhaar serious treatment, I think.” </p>