In a major crackdown on document fraud, the East Singhbhum district administration has arrested five individuals for running a racket producing fake birth certificates. According to District Commissioner (DC) Ananya Mittal, the group fabricated 4,281 fake certificates between January 2023 and April 2025.
This came to light during the verification of birth certificates submitted by Below Poverty Line (BPL) students seeking admission under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Authorities discovered a significant mismatch in the data, particularly from Matiyabandhi panchayat in Chakulia block, which had issued a total of 4,567 certificates during the same period — most of them fraudulent.
The five accused have been identified as Sunil Mahato (59), Sapan Mahato (45), Shivam De (31), Harish Parmanik (26), and Arif Alam (27). Investigations are ongoing to determine how deeply the racket penetrated local administrative systems.
DC Ananya Mittal confirmed the arrests and emphasized the administration’s commitment to maintaining document integrity and ensuring genuine beneficiaries are not denied their rights.
