194 fake caste certificate cases booked in Karnataka, none convicted

BENGALURU:  In the past three years, Karnataka has seen as many as 194 fake caste certificate cases, most of them to get jobs, or to avail of the benefits of education and election. Interestingly, not a single person has been punished for furnishing false caste certificates from 2020 to 2022, and many of them have gone to court to get a stay order.

People belonging to forward castes obtain ‘false’ caste certificates to avail of benefits like reservation in education and jobs. It is also misused by some politicians to contest polls. These caste certificates are issued by Revenue officials to people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Communities. However, there are people applying for caste certificates though they are not entitled to it.

According to documents available with The New Indian Express, in the past three years, the State registered 194 fake caste certificate cases, including 116 in 2022. Of these, more cases were registered in Kolar, Dharwad, Bidar, Bengaluru Urban and Rural and Shivamogga. According to information given by Social Welfare Minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari during the recent legislative sessions, 38 people have gone to court and got stay orders, and some of the cases are under investigation. 

Poojari told TNIE that there is a central cell where one can complain against people who avail of fake certificates and use them for education, jobs or elections. The cell authority directs deputy commissioners, who conduct the probe. “In most of the cases, it is based on a complaint by others. The real beneficiaries would have lodged complaints as the person with a fake certificate would be a hindrance,” he said. He, however, said the number of cases is decreasing over the past few years due to improved awareness.