Jabalpur, October 7: In a compelling move to trace a missing woman, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to verify whether her Aadhaar number has been used in connection with any bank account, mobile SIM, or online transaction.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Dwarka Dhish Bansal, issued this order while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Shri Sitaram Barman, who sought help in locating his missing relative. The matter was heard at the Jabalpur bench on October 7, 2025.
During the hearing, the State counsel, Dr. S.S. Chouhan, informed the court that local authorities had attempted to track the woman’s whereabouts by checking if her Aadhaar number had been used recently for linking to any bank account or mobile connection. However, the Aadhar Seva Kendra in Jabalpur declined to provide such details, citing an absence of any provision that allows such verification through its existing system.
Taking note of this limitation, the bench observed,
"Since Aadhaar is unique to every individual and is linked to biometric data, it is not possible for any person to obtain a duplicate Aadhaar. Hence, tracking Aadhaar-linked services can provide vital clues to trace the missing individual."
The judges further noted that all essential services, including mobile phones and banking, are ordinarily linked to Aadhaar. Therefore, any recent activity using the Aadhaar number in question could help investigators locate the missing woman.
Consequently, the court issued a notice to the UIDAI, directing it to examine whether Aadhaar number 3955 2949 4536 has been used for any online service, such as opening a bank account, issuing a SIM card, or any other digital linkage. The information, once verified, must be provided to the Investigating Officer for immediate follow-up action.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 11, 2025.
With this direction, the High Court has effectively widened the scope of digital tracking in missing persons cases, leveraging Aadhaar’s nationwide connectivity to bridge investigative gaps that traditional methods often fail to cover.
Case Title: Shri Sitaram Barman vs. The State of Madhya Pradesh & Others
Case Number: W.P. No. 4672 of 2024