SIT probes fake freedom fighter certificates used for MBBS admissions in Uttarakhand

A Special Investigation Team of the Dehradun police has begun investigating the alleged use of fake freedom fighter dependent certificates for MBBS admissions in Uttarakhand, with cases also registered at two police stations.

The matter has gained urgency as the medical admission and counselling process is currently underway in the state, and Medical Education Minister Subodh Uniyal has asked the Dehradun district magistrate to submit an inquiry report within a week.

The issue was raised by journalist Pradeep Bahuguna, who has now sought a wider investigation into permanent residence, domicile and other certificates used in medical admissions. He has submitted a list of around 350 candidates for verification, while the administration has also sealed four CSC centres and seized some computers and laptops after irregularities were found.

SP (Rural) Jaya Baluni said documents related to the admissions where the alleged use of fake freedom fighter dependent certificates came to light have been sought from the officials and departments concerned. Asked whether an organised gang could be involved, she said the investigation is at an early stage and it would be "premature to draw any such conclusion".

On demands for a probe into alleged fake domicile certificates, she said the two FIRs currently registered relate to the alleged fraud involving freedom fighter dependent certificates and the admissions secured through them, and that the SIT is investigating this specific aspect.

Bahuguna said that during scrutiny of certificates for dependents of freedom fighters, questions also emerged over the domicile documents of some candidates. He alleged that while FIRs had been registered in connection with the freedom fighter dependent certificates, no separate investigation or action had been taken over the alleged use of fake domicile certificates.

He said domicile is a key requirement for MBBS seats under the state quota, and benefits under reserved categories and sub-categories are available only when the required eligibility conditions are met.

Citing another case, Bahuguna alleged that a candidate named Saumya was first allotted a seat under the SC-Orphaned category at Doon Medical College in Dehradun.

According to him, her admission there could not go through after her caste certificate was later cancelled at the Doiwala tehsil level, and she was subsequently allotted a seat under the General-Orphaned category in Haldwani.

Questioning both the allotment process and the candidate's eligibility, he demanded an inquiry into the case.

Bahuguna met Uniyal on Friday and submitted a list of about 350 candidates, seeking detailed verification of their certificates.

He said he was not claiming that all the certificates on the list were fake, but that the available records and admission-related information raised enough suspicion to require official scrutiny.

Uniyal said the government was taking the matter seriously and, suspecting the involvement of a major racket, had directed the district magistrate to carry out an inquiry and file a report within a week.

The minister also said instructions had been issued to complete the investigation quickly so that the status of suspicious cases could be clarified before the admission process ends.

Explaining why he sought scrutiny of 350 candidates, Bahuguna said many of them had completed their high school and intermediate education outside Uttarakhand, while some had even taken the NEET examination in Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. He added, however, that studying in another state or taking NEET elsewhere does not by itself prove a certificate is forged.

"I am not saying that the certificates of all these individuals are fake. But an investigation into their documents is essential. I have identified around 350 names, and it is possible that the actual number of such cases is higher," he said. He also called for an inquiry into whether permanent residence and other certificates used to claim state quota or special category status were issued according to the rules.

Bahuguna further claimed that in one case, the online application status showed as pending even though the candidate had already been allotted a medical seat. These claims have not yet been independently verified.

He said his initial inquiry had raised questions over four dependent-of-a-freedom-fighter certificates linked to the same family, and that after a complaint, officials verified them and cancelled the certificates after finding them forged.

He said the investigation should not remain limited to a few reported cases and should be expanded, including examining the possibility of an organised network.

On the district magistrate's instructions, authorities sealed four CSC centres after irregularities were detected and seized some computers and laptops. According to the administration, the action followed findings related to the centres' functioning and compliance with rules.

Rohit Negi, a CSC operator in Dehradun, told PTI that a CSC's role is generally limited to filling in online applications and uploading documents to the portal. After that, he said, the application moves through the government system and, in cases such as permanent residence certificates, the document is issued only after verification at the tehsil level or by revenue officials or the patwari, and with the approval of the competent authority.

In the wake of the complaints, the role of officials responsible for verification and approval is also being questioned.

Uniyal said the matter came to his notice while he was in Australia and that he issued directions from there to the concerned district magistrate to investigate it. According to him, the initial inquiry found that some certificates were fake, and complaints about permanent residence certificates had also been received.

At present, the SIT is examining the alleged fake freedom fighter dependent certificates, while demands for a wider probe into other documents used in medical admissions continue.