6 hrs ago
Suspected Bhopal Network Allegedly Sold Fake Certificates For ₹20
Officials in Bhopal found signs of a suspected network making false birth and death certificates.
The certificates reportedly cost only ₹20 online.
Special software copied the format and digital signature used by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation.
The issue was discovered while police checked documents used in passport applications.
One investigation linked 30 passports to the same address in Dabra.
Another 39 passports were linked to a math in Bhopal.
Officials also found a fake death certificate for a 20-year-old woman.
The certificates were not present in the municipality’s official records.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation officials reportedly detect at least two fake birth or death certificates each week.
The certificates could allegedly be generated online for ₹20 using software that copied BMC’s format and digital signature.
The suspected racket emerged during verification of birth certificates used in a fake passport investigation.
Officials found 30 passports linked to one Dabra address and 39 linked to a Bhopal math, issued between 2021 and 2023.
BMC registrar Satyaprakash Badgaiya said fraudulent certificates often appear genuine but fail checks on the official portal.
- Who
- Bhopal Municipal Corporation officials, Govindpura police, an insurance company and Special Task Force investigators examined the suspected documents.
- What
- A suspected network allegedly generated fake birth and death certificates using a replica of the municipal portal and digital signature.
- Where
- Bhopal, including areas around the Collectorate and Bhopal Municipal Corporation office; linked documents also involved Dabra.
- When
- The linked passports were issued between 2021 and 2023; the network came to light during a subsequent fake-passport investigation.
- Why
- The fake certificates were allegedly created for use in passport applications and other document-verification processes.
Key facts
- Reported price
- As little as ₹20 per certificate
- Detection rate
- At least two suspected fake certificates per week, according to BMC officials
- Discovery
- The issue surfaced during verification connected to a fake passport case
- Passport links
- 30 passports were linked to one Dabra address, while 39 were linked to a math in Anna Nagar, Bhopal
- Passport period
- The linked passports were issued between 2021 and 2023
- Digital forgery
- The fraudulent system reportedly replicated BMC’s certificate format and registrar’s digital signature
- Official response
- BMC registrar Satyaprakash Badgaiya said suspicious certificates fail verification through the official portal
Sources
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