Mumbai Birth Certificate Scandal: BJP Leader Exposes 103 Fraudulent Documents Issued to Ineligible Persons

Mumbai:

Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has filed a new complaint alleging that the Mumbai civic body issued over one hundred birth certificates to ineligible individuals. This allegation is connected to what he describes as a widespread birth certificate scam.

Somaiya has delivered a comprehensive complaint to Deonar Police Station, claiming that 103 illegal birth certificates were distributed from the Mumbai Municipal Corporation's Mankhurd (East) Ward Office during 2024. He alleges these documents were fraudulently provided to ineligible persons, including potential infiltrators.

According to the complaint, ward officials registered these certificates by falsely citing hospital records from Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi and other medical institutions. The BJP leader has specifically named the ward registrar and civic officials who allegedly facilitated these improper registrations.

This complaint forms part of a larger statewide scandal that Somaiya had previously brought to light. He states that throughout 2024, approximately 2.24 lakh applications for delayed birth certificates were submitted across Maharashtra. Around 79,000 of these applications were rejected, and 50,000 certificates have been cancelled. The situation has resulted in 28 FIRs being registered across 22 cities, with nearly 2,000 individuals being charge-sheeted.

The Mumbai Suburban District Collector and Kurla Tehsildar have already cancelled several suspicious certificates and initiated inquiries against implicated officials. However, Somaiya is demanding criminal proceedings against both the beneficiaries and the civic and hospital officials involved in the fraudulent issuance.

"This is a serious matter of infiltration and fraud. We have provided evidence of 103 bogus certificates issued in Mankhurd-Govandi-Deonar areas. Police and BMC officials have assured an immediate probe and strict action," Somaiya informed reporters.

Deonar police have confirmed they received the complaint and are currently conducting an investigation.