A sprawling fake birth certificate racket involving over 52,000 fraudulent documents has been uncovered in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district. The investigation, now completed, revealed the issuance of fake birth certificates for individuals from multiple Indian states and neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. Authorities have declared all these certificates null and void.
The fraud, which targeted 11 villages in the Salon block, has severely impacted people such as in Palhipur, Nuruddinpur, and Prithvipur. Sub-Divisional Officer Panchayat Raj Sasan Anand Singh has ordered the cancellation of 52,594 fake birth certificates uncovered during the probe.
Palhipur was identified as the worst affected village with 13,707 fake certificates, followed by Nuruddinpur with 10,151, and Prithvipur with 9,393.
Other affected villages include:
- Sanda Saidan: 4,897 fake certificates
- Madhopur Nainaiya: 3,746
- Lahurepur: 3,780
- Garhi Islamnagar: 2,255
- Onanish: 1,665
- Gopalpur alias Anantpur: 225
- Dubhan: 2
The scam’s reach extended beyond India’s borders, involving individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, along with citizens from Indian states such as Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, and Punjab.
How the Scam Operated
The investigation revealed that con artists issued up to 500–1,000 fake birth certificates daily using fraudulent methods. This volume is starkly disproportionate, as a computer can officially generate a maximum of 100 certificates in 24 hours. The conspirators reportedly used the same ID and password to process the certificates, indicating collusion among individuals across multiple states.
The fraudulent activity was facilitated using the government-issued CUG (Closed User Group) number of Village Development Officer (VDO) Vijay Singh Yadav. The CUG number was used to receive OTPs (One-Time Passwords) necessary to approve the fake certificates.
Key Arrests
The mastermind of the scam, identified as Mohammad Jishan, a resident of Salon, Rae Bareli, has been arrested along with accomplices Riaz, Suhel Khan, and Vijay Singh Yadav. Law enforcement agencies, including the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), are continuing to probe the scam for further accomplices and its wider implications.
How the Scam Came to Light
The scam was first detected in July 2024 when some villages reported issuing more birth certificates than their total population. Alarmed by the discrepancy, an investigation was launched. While many village heads were initially unaware of the fraud, it was Vijay Singh Yadav who reported the irregularities to the police, ostensibly to clear his name. However, the investigation implicated him for providing his CUG number to Jishan, a critical enabler in the scam.
The district’s Development Panchayat Raj Officer (DPRO) has been directed to exercise heightened scrutiny in issuing birth and death certificates moving forward. Authorities are also implementing systemic changes to prevent such large-scale frauds in the future.
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