Shillong: An operator of a common services centre (CSC) was booked for allegedly issuing fake Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates to five people in Meghalaya‘s East Garo Hills district, an official said on Wednesday.
The matter came to light after one such forged certificate was detected at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Williamnagar when a person submitted the document for Aadhaar enrolment, he said.
The QR code scan revealed that the ST certificate, allegedly issued by Jonathon B. Sangma, Manager of Rainbow CSC, Rongsak, was fake.
The QR code on the document failed to authenticate it during scanning.
“One of the persons who had obtained a Schedule Tribe certificate illegally from this CSC had come to the office of the Deputy Commissioner, East Garo Hills, Williamnagar to apply for an Aadhaar Card, where the Aadhaar operator detected the fake ST certificate during scanning of the QR code. This action on the part of the CSC operator is highly illegal and tantamount to a criminal offence,” informed the DC.
The DC cautioned that if any CSCs, cyber cafés, kiosks or browsing centres are found issuing ST/SC certificates, court orders for birth certificates, income certificates, permanent residence certificates or recruitment-related documents, those responsible will face action under Sections 319(2), 335, 234 and 337 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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The DC further warned that anyone guilty of such illegal activities will be booked under the relevant provisions of law.
