Maharashtra Cracks Down on Fake Birth and Death Certificates

Maharashtra's Revenue Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, announced stringent measures against the production of fake birth and death certificates, with criminal cases to be registered against violators. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the issue, following allegations of Bangladeshi nationals acquiring documents through forgeries.

Maharashtra is tightening regulations on the acquisition of birth and death certificates to combat forgery and misuse, announced Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. The new measures have been introduced following claims that Bangladeshi nationals obtained over 3,997 certificates through forged documents.

During a legislative assembly session, Bawankule emphasized the importance of these documents and outlined the repercussions for violators, which include the registration of criminal cases. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to investigate the fraudulent activities.

To ensure authenticity, applications more than a year old will undergo stringent verification by authorized officials. This includes checking postmortem reports, FIRs, and other official records while consulting police and local governance reports to validate claims.

(With inputs from agencies.)