- 103 illegal birth certificates issued in Mumbai's Mankhurd Ward in 2024, alleges BJP leader Kirit Somaiya
- False hospital records from Shatabdi Hospital and others used to register bogus certificates, he alleges
- Nearly 2.24 lakh delayed birth certificate applications filed statewide in Maharashtra in 2024
Over a hundred birth certificates were issued to ineligible persons by the Mumbai civic body, senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has claimed in a fresh complaint in connection with the alleged large-scale birth certificate scam.
Somaiya has submitted a detailed complaint at Deonar Police Station highlighting that the 103 illegal birth certificates were issued from the Mumbai Municipal Corporation's Mankhurd (East) Ward Office in 2024. These were allegedly given to ineligible persons, including infiltrators, through fraudulent means.
The ward officials registered these certificates by citing false hospital records from Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi and other institutions, he alleged. The complaint names the ward registrar and civic officials who allegedly facilitated these irregular entries.
This is part of a larger statewide scam earlier alleged by Somaiya.
According to him, in 2024, nearly 2.24 lakh applications for delayed birth certificates were filed across Maharashtra, of which around 79,000 were rejected and 50,000 certificates cancelled. As many as 28 FIRs have been registered in 22 cities so far, and nearly 2,000 people have been charge-sheeted, he said.
The Mumbai Suburban District Collector and Kurla Tehsildar have already cancelled some of the suspicious certificates and ordered inquiries against officials. However, Somaiya has demanded criminal action against the beneficiaries as well as 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," he told reporters.
Deonar police has confirmed receipt of the complaint and said an inquiry is underway.
