The Maharashtra government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the issuance of birth and death certificates for delayed applications, primarily to investigate potential misuse tied to the influx of Bangladeshi immigrants. This move follows growing concerns over illegal immigration, especially after the arrest of Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a Bangladeshi national involved in a knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai.

The SIT, headed by Inspector General Datta Karale, will investigate both certificates already issued and applications that have been received but not processed yet. Delayed applications refer to those submitted at least a year after the birth or death event, a practice that has raised suspicions of exploitation for undocumented residents to gain legal recognition.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule confirmed the investigation, highlighting that the probe would encompass both approved and pending delayed applications. This initiative follows allegations from BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who claimed that between January 2021 and December 2023, 269 birth registration orders for delayed applications were issued by Akola City’s magistrate court, while a tehsildar authorized 4,849 such registrations. Somaiya further alleged that around 11,864 delayed applications were filed in Yavatmal, 15,845 in Akola, and 4,350 in Nagpur districts, raising alarms about possible illegal activities in the registration process.

Somaiya also accused the authorities of facilitating the registration of birth certificates for two lakh Bangladeshi Rohingyas in Maharashtra, prompting the suspension of a tehsildar in Malegaon in connection with these claims. The formation of the SIT is seen as an effort to address these serious allegations and prevent further misuse of the registration system.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from PTI