Budaun: A large-scale birth certificate scam has been exposed in Budaun district, where hackers allegedly created nearly 40,000 fake certificates by breaching gram panchayat IDs and mobile numbers. Officials said email and mobile details were altered to bypass verification systems, allowing fraudulent entries without the knowledge of the Health and Panchayat Departments.
The case surfaced when the District Magistrate (DM) was asked to explain discrepancies similar to a scam recently reported in Aligarh. Acting on the directive, the DM ordered an investigation, and separate FIRs were filed by panchayat secretaries at Uzani Kotwali and Usawan police stations.
In Hazara gram panchayat of Usawan block, 18,000 fake birth certificates were generated between January and September, despite the village’s actual population being only 1,700. In Phulasi village under Uzani block, 15,000 forged certificates were found, while Sainjani in Dataganj block recorded 4,000 such cases.
Authorities said the fraud has serious implications for misuse in government schemes, identity fraud, and illegal documentation.
The state government has directed strict monitoring and accountability at the district level as the investigation progresses.
