Nandurbar Police Uncover Elaborate Fake Certificate Scam, Five Arrested
In a significant crackdown on document forgery, the Nandurbar police have apprehended five individuals for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated fake certificate racket. The arrests came after authorities discovered copies of 54 fraudulent birth and death certificates in the possession of the accused, according to senior police officials.
Police Action Following Municipal Complaint
The Nandurbar city police registered a formal case after receiving a complaint from an officer of the Nandurbar municipal council. The case has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:
- Section 61(2) for criminal conspiracy
- Section 318(4) for cheating
- Section 336(2) for forgery
Inspector Nilesh Desle of the Nandurbar city police station received crucial information on January 29 about fake birth and death certificates being generated from a local cyber cafe using forged government stamps. Acting swiftly on this tip, police teams conducted a raid on the establishment.
Evidence Seized During Cyber Cafe Raid
During the police operation, authorities confiscated substantial evidence including:
- Forged government rubber stamps
- Multiple fake certificates
- A laptop used in the operation
- A printer for document production
- Various other incriminating materials
Nandurbar Additional SP Ashit Kamble revealed that investigators suspect a large number of fake certificates may have been issued from this cyber cafe over an extended period. The certificates were reportedly generated using duplicate rubber stamps that mimicked official government seals.
Investigation Progress and Future Steps
"We found records of 54 fake birth certificates from the accused individuals," stated Additional SP Kamble. "Different police teams have been prepared to trace the people who acquired these fraudulent documents. Once we locate and question these individuals, their purpose for obtaining certificates through illegal means will become clearer."
The investigation is being conducted under the guidance of SP Shravan Dath S., with authorities examining the full scope of the operation that appears to have been active since June 2022.
Profile of the Accused Individuals
The arrested individuals include a disturbing mix of municipal employees and private operators:
- Anil Koli (34) - A contractual operator in the Nandurbar municipal council
- Rizwan Khan Subhan Khan (32) - Owner of the cyber cafe where the operation was based
- Lala alias Mohammad Ali Mohammad Yusuf Patel (49) - A peon working in the municipal council
- Shaikh Shafik Shaikh Isaac Qureshi (39) - An employee at the cyber cafe
- Imran Yakub Pinjari (42) - A practicing lawyer who allegedly worked as an agent to provide fake birth certificates
According to police statements, these individuals collaborated to prepare fake birth and death certificates using counterfeit rubber stamps for personal financial gain, thereby cheating both the government and ordinary citizens.
Patterns in Certificate Distribution
Additional SP Kamble noted an interesting pattern emerging from the investigation: "From the names on the fake certificates, it appears that the documents were issued to people of mixed communities and not any specific community." This suggests the racket may have operated on a commercial basis rather than targeting particular demographic groups.
Police Team Behind the Successful Operation
The raid and subsequent seizure operation involved multiple police personnel including:
- Inspector Hemant Patil of the Local Crime Branch
- Sub-inspector Mukesh Pawar
- Constable Vikas Gunjal
- Inspector Nilesh Desle of Nandurbar city police station
- Bhunesh Marate of the Detection Branch
Their coordinated efforts led to the successful dismantling of this document forgery network that had been operating for approximately 20 months before being uncovered by vigilant police work.
