Mumbai: In the fake birth certificates scam in Mumbai, allegedly being issued to illegal Bangladeshis, following which mayor Ritu Tawde had asked for recheck of all birth certificates issued post 2016, the BMC's health department submitted a report to the mayor on Wednesday, stating that 116 birth certificates have been seized and records are permanently deleted, while some holders have refused to handover.
237 Delayed Certificates Under Scrutiny in M-East Ward
The report said that out of total 237 delayed birth certificates, alleged as fake certificates were issued in the Govandi - Mankhurd area by M-East ward, of which 116 original birth certificates has been seized by the administration and records are deleted, while 25 people have refused to handover the original birth certificates. For the remaining 96 birth certificates, the administration is yet to take actions.
The department also informed the mayor that apart from M-East ward, no other wards so far have found to have issued delayed or fake birth certificates issued.
Kirit Somaiya First Exposed the Scam Last Year
The fake birth certificate scam in Mumbai was brought to light by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya last year, following which two civic health officers have been suspended. Somaiya held a follow-up meeting with Tawde on Wednesday, when the health department officials were present. Somaiya said that in the last two years, in 23 wards in Mumbai, there are 48 cases where birth certificates are issued being the age of one.
Mayor Tawde said that henceforth a review meeting will be held every month over this issue with the health department. "Birth registration and issuance of certificates is not just a matter of issuing government documents, but is directly related to national security. When public representatives find errors in the process and bring all the information to us on their own, it is necessary to take all necessary action. The administration should set up all the necessary mechanisms for this. The process of birth registration and certificates, as well as delayed birth registration, will be reviewed every month from now on," the mayor said.
The leaders have also been following up on eradicating the illegal Bangladeshi hawkers from Mumbai, and the administration was asked to check birth certificates of the hawkers. However, speaking with the FPJ, officials from the health department said that checking birth certificates of hawkers (licenced or unliscned) does not fall under their department, and the licence department needs to do the needful. "If the licences department needs help from the health department, we will provide," an official said.
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