In a shocking turn of events, two individuals from Pune have been arrested by the Dighi Coastal Police in Raigad district for their involvement in creating a fake death certificate within the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) birth and death registration department. The two individuals, identified as data entry operators Swapnil Ramesh Nigade and Shubham Sanjay Pasalkar, were apprehended and have been remanded in police custody until February 15, 2024.
The arrests were made following the investigation into a fraud case involving Ramkumar Brahmadatt Agarwal, a resident of Camp, Pune, who was deceived in a land transaction involving 40 gunthas of land in Karle, Taluka Shrivardhan, Raigad. This fraud case was registered at the Dighi Coastal Police Station in Shrivardhan in March 2023. During the probe, investigators uncovered a widespread racket for issuing fake birth and death certificates operating within the PMC, leading to significant upheaval in the department.
The accused individuals forged documents between 2019 and 2022 to create a fake identity under the name of Ramkumar Brahmadatt Agarwal. This fictitious identity was then used to prepare a bogus sale deed for the land in Shrivardhan, which was presented at the Sub-Registrar’s Office to register a fake title for the property. The fraudulent sale deed was used to falsely transfer ownership of the land, resulting in a criminal case for cheating.
Further investigation revealed that the alleged individual, who was purportedly from Santosh Nagar, Katraj Pune, was falsely declared dead. A death certificate for this individual was issued by the Dhanakwadi Regional Office in Pune. However, there was a discrepancy in the dates—the death was recorded on May 25, 2021, while the official entry was made on April 12, 2024. This inconsistency raised suspicions among the police, leading to a thorough investigation.
It was discovered that the then-regional medical officer, Dr. Amit Shah, along with officials Poonam Gharpale, data entry operators Swapnil Ramesh Nigade and Shubham Sanjay Pasalkar, were involved in the conspiracy for financial gain. On February 13, 2024, Nigade and Pasalkar were arrested by the police.
As the investigation continues, the Dighi Coastal Police have requested comprehensive information from the PMC’s birth and death registration office regarding the entire process of recording death certificates. Authorities have identified the employees and officers involved in issuing the fake death certificate and have ordered them to assist in the investigation. Dr. Nina Borade, Head of the Health Department at PMC, confirmed that the documents related to the fake death certificate were being investigated, with notices issued to suspend employees for failing to provide necessary records.
This case has opened up a major inquiry into the fraudulent issuance of official documents within the PMC’s registration department, and further arrests are expected as more details come to light.
