BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has exposed a massive illegal birth certificate racket that has allowed thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas to obtain Indian citizenship fraudulently. The scam, which originated in Amravati with 4,500 fake registrations, has now been revealed to be a state-wide crisis, with over 1.3 lakh fraudulent birth certificates issued. Somaiya has demanded immediate cancellation of these certificates, arrests of corrupt officials, and an overhaul of the birth registration system.
Amravati: 4,500 Fraudulent Birth Certificates Issued, Authorities Complicit
Speaking at a press conference after submitting 478 pages of evidence to the police, Somaiya stated, “We are witnessing the most dangerous infiltration scam in Maharashtra’s history. These certificates are not just documents; they are passports to illegal citizenship.”
Somaiya met with senior police officials at Gadgenagar Police Station and provided two damning lists:
- Fifty individuals who were issued birth certificates without any official documents.
- Fifty more who submitted only Aadhaar cards, which cannot legally establish birth.
He directly blamed Amravati’s administration for turning a blind eye to the fraud. “The Tehsildar has the sole authority to issue birth certificates. But in Amravati, Naib Tehsildars illegally conducted hearings at five different locations, bypassing all regulations. The result? Over 4,500 fake birth certificates, granting Bangladeshis and Rohingyas legal Indian identity,” he said.
BJP's Kirit Somaiya accuses Amravati Municipal Corporation of issuing 4,500 birth certificates to Rohingyas without documents, using Aadhaar for 50, submits 478 pages of evidence, prompts an FIR against 6, and demands cancellation and action.pic.twitter.com/KPAVRtWl6y
— Angry Saffron (@AngrySaffron) March 6, 2025
Malegaon: 2,979 Fake Birth Certificates Cancelled, Arrests and Suspensions Begin
This is not an isolated case. A similar operation was uncovered in Malegaon, where:
- 2,979 fraudulent birth certificates were issued using forged documents.
- 2804 certificates in Malegaon Municipal area and 175 in Malegaon Rural area have now been cancelled.
- Two FIRs (FIR No. 40 on January 31, 2025, and FIR No. 51 on February 16, 2025) were registered at Malegaon Cantonment Police Station.
बांगलादेशी जन्म प्रमाणपत्र घोटाळा
तहसीलदार यांनी 2024 मध्ये फसवणुकीने देण्यात आलेले सर्व 2979 विलंबित/ उशिराचे जन्म प्रमाणपत्र रद्द करण्याचे आदेश दिले आहेत
अनेक बांगलादेशी व अपात्र लोकांनी बनावटी कागदपत्रांच्या आधाराने मालेगाव, भारतात जन्म झाल्याचे जन्म प्रमाणपत्र मिळवले होते pic.twitter.com/erdKX1eVWg— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) March 5, 2025
Authorities have arrested two clerks from the Tehsildar’s office:
- Bharat Shewale (Clerk) – Arrested
- Vijay Ambhore (Clerk) – Arrested
Meanwhile, Naib Tehsildar Sandeep Dharankar remains absconding. Additionally, Tehsildar Nitin Deore, Naib Tehsildar Sandeep Dharankar, and Rehan Sheikh have been suspended.
Akola, Nashik, Parbhani: FIRs Registered as Fake Citizenship Scam Expands
The scale of the fraud is staggering:
- Akola District: 9 FIRs have been registered against 52 individuals who submitted forged documents. 23 of them are from Akola City alone.
- Nashik: 181 Bangladeshis were fraudulently enrolled in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme in Bhadwan village, Kalwan taluka.
- Parbhani: FIR No. 67 was filed at Parbhani Police Station on February 1 against multiple individuals, including Sheikh Fardeen Sheikh Khaja, Samreen Begum Iqbal Qureshi, and others, for forging birth certificates.
Somaiya declared, “This is an organised conspiracy. These individuals are not just obtaining fake birth certificates; they are infiltrating our government schemes, voting lists, and social security benefits meant for genuine citizens.”
बांगलादेशी जन्म प्रमाणपत्र घोटाळा
विलंबित जन्म प्रमाणपत्र मिळवण्यासाठी खोटी/बनावटी कागदपत्रे सादर केल्याबद्दल अकोला जिल्ह्यातील विविध तालुक्यामध्ये गुन्हा FIR दाखल
यापैकी अकोला शहरात 23 जणांविरुद्ध गुन्हा FIR दाखल@BJP4Maharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/fCSfTYnXri
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) March 4, 2025
Sillod: 406 Fake Birth Certificates issued, No proof required
A new hotspot of the scam has emerged in Sillod, where:
- 406 birth certificates were issued without any proof of birth in India.
- The only document submitted was an Aadhaar card, which is not proof of birth.
- 4855 applications were filed in 2024, none were rejected. Over 3,000 of these are suspected to be fraudulent.
Somaiya has demanded immediate action against Sillod’s Sub-Divisional Officer Mr. Khan, stating, “Sillod will become another Malegaon if this scam is not stopped now. I have urged CM Devendra Fadnavis to expel Mr. Khan and launch a criminal probe.”
सिल्लोड चे मालेगाव होणार
सिल्लोड येथेही बांगलादेशी जन्म प्रमाणपत्र देण्याचा घोटाळा
सिल्लोड चे उपविभागीय अधिकारी श्री. खान यांनी 406 अश्या लोकांना जन्माचे प्रमाणपत्र दिले ज्यांनी त्यांचा जन्म सिल्लोड/भारतात झाल्याच्या एकही पुरावा दिलेला नाही
अर्जासोबत फक्त आधार कार्ड दिले आहे pic.twitter.com/GU5xKZQdHe
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) February 26, 2025
Statewide Disaster: Over 1.3 Lakh fraudulent certificates issued in 2024
The Maharashtra government has now acknowledged the scale of the crisis. Data from 2024 shows:
- 2,14,307 birth certificate applications were filed.
- Only 5,289 were rejected.
- A shocking 1,29,906 birth certificates were issued.
- 74,940 applications were approved and remain under scrutiny.
The top 10 districts with the highest fraudulent applications include:
- Akola – 4,849
- Sillod – 4,730
- Amravati – 4,638
- Malegaon – 4,318
- Latur – 3,421
- Parbhani – 3,202
Bangladeshi Birth Certificate Scam.
I visited & filled complaints at Latur Police Station & Parbhani Police Station yesterday
Latur Tehsil received 3421 rejected NIL
Parbhani Tehsil received 3202 rejected 12.Hundreds of Bangladeshi Rohingyas got Birth Certificates in 2024
— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) March 1, 2025
How the scam was enabled: Legal loopholes and corruption
Before November 2023, delayed birth registrations had to be approved by a Magistrate Court under the 1969 Act. However, after an amendment by Parliament, Tehsildars were granted the power to issue birth certificates. Since then, cases of large-scale fraud have surfaced across Maharashtra.
Somaiya stated, “Corrupt officials and brokers exploited this new law. Thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas applied with fake Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and electricity bills. Instead of verifying documents, these Tehsildars approved applications in bulk.”
Government Responds: Suspensions, Arrests, and an Immediate Halt on Birth Certificates
With mounting pressure, the Maharashtra government has begun taking action:
- Tehsildar Nitinkumar Devre and Naib Tehsildar Sandeep Dharankar have been suspended.
- A state-wide order has been issued to halt all birth certificate registrations until investigations are complete.
More arrests are expected in the coming days.
Somaiya welcomed the crackdown but warned, “Suspensions are not enough. We need criminal cases against these corrupt officials. Every fraudulent birth certificate must be cancelled, and every official responsible must be put behind bars.”
Somaiya has vowed to take this fight to the highest level. “This is a question of national security. Fake birth certificates are the first step in infiltrating voter lists, acquiring government benefits, and even obtaining passports. If we do not act now, Maharashtra will become the gateway for illegal immigrants to flood India.”
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