In a shocking case of identity theft, a barber from Sirsa, Haryana, received an income tax notice for Rs 37.87 crore—even though he earns only Rs 350 to Rs 450 a day. Rakesh Kumar, who runs a small barber shop near the Dera Sacha Sauda sector in Ali Mohammad village, has been cutting hair for over ten years. On March 29, his life took an unexpected turn when he received a letter from the Income Tax Department.
Not knowing English, Rakesh showed the income tax notice to a nearby shopkeeper. That’s when he found out he was being asked to pay almost Rs 38 crore in taxes. The incident has raised serious concerns about how personal details like PAN cards are being misused in India. Rakesh believes the trouble might have started in 2020, when he took a small loan from a digital lending app called Dhani.
After getting the tax notice, Rakesh went straight to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Sirsa. The officials there told him he might be a victim of identity theft. He then filed a complaint at Nathusari Chopta police station. Station House Officer (SHO) Sukhdev Singh confirmed that the matter is under investigation and assured that legal action would follow if fraud is confirmed.
The case has worried many villagers and local leaders. Experts in cybersecurity say that identity fraud using PAN and Aadhaar is becoming common. These stolen identities are often used to take fake loans, open shell companies, or dodge taxes. People are now being urged to regularly check their credit reports and tax records. Keeping an eye on these things could help stop fraud before it causes big problems.
