Nagpur: Naib tehsildar of Nagpur has busted a racket operating in the district collectorate and issuing fake income certificates.
Sadar police have registered an offence after receiving complaint against two persons in this regard. No arrest has been made so far.
The racket was unearthed in October 2020 after an application for non-creamy layer certificate was put up before the naib tehsildar Abha Waghmare.
During verification, the office clerk found the signature and the seal on the income certificate to be suspicious. When the matter came up before Waghmare, it was found that the seal and signature were forged. The application had no mention of the applicant’s address.
On probing the matter further, it was revealed that hundreds of fake income certificates were submitted in alleged connivance with document writers, operating near the tehsil office. After the complaint was filed with police, the document writers abandoned the place. It is learnt that such fake certificates were issued for a few hundred rupees.
After the incident came to fore, Waghmare was transferred.
Before her transfer, Waghmare had on October 8 lodged a criminal complaint against Santosh Jaiswal, 50, a resident of Manewada. According to the complaint, Jaiswal along with his accomplice prepared bogus income certificates and duped many citizens. Sadar police have booked Jaiswal and his accomplice under sections 420, 465, 468, 471 read with 34 of the IPC.
Despite repeated attempts, Waghmare was not available for comment.
Sources said the number of fake certificates issued till date could be much more than detected. Police investigation will reveal involvement of those including the office staff, said sources, adding Jaiswal is one of the masterminds of the racket.
Sources pointed out despite a blanket ban, touts thrive near Setu office. Citing an example, sources said similar rackets were busted in 2009 and in 2015. Sources say nexus between staff working in the tehsil office and touts could not be ruled out. Gullible citizens seeking various certificates from the Setu office often fall prey to these touts, who work hand-in-hand with the employees of the office to procure the required certificates within three days. It normally takes seven to 21 days for an individual to obtain the same certificate.