Orissa detects 56 people in job by faking caste certificates

Bhubaneswar, Aug 21: Orissa government has identified 56 persons employed in government jobs on the basis of fake caste certificates, it was officially stated here.

"While 45 people were found doing government jobs by producing fake ST certificate, 11 others used forged caste certificate to do jobs as scheduled caste candidates," ST, SC, OBC development minister L B Himirika told the state Assembly yesterday.

Quoting data provided by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Orissa, the minister said that 31,190 scheduled castes and 19,646 scheduled tribes were in government jobs.

"The government had issued direction to concerned tehsildars attached to the state level caste certificate verification committee to cancel such fake caste certificates," Himirika said adding the District Welfare Officers (DWO) were also asked to recover financial benefits availed of by the family members who forged the caste certificate.

DWOs were also directed to lodge FIR against the concerned persons who forged their caste certificates and entered into the government service, he said adding the district collectors were also asked to initiate proceedings against the officers issuing caste certificates without proper verification.

Even the government had decided to dismiss the persons who forged their caste certificates from the service, he said.

"Superintendents of police in different districts had also been advised to initiate criminal proceeding against persons faking caste certificates under section 120 (B) and 420 of the IPC," the minister said.

PTI