BMC to suspend health official for issuing fake birth certificates to Bangladeshi nationals

The move comes after suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar asked municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to take immediate disciplinary action against those involved in the scam on Tuesday

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated the process to suspend a health department official from the M/East ward for allegedly issuing birth certificates to Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the city. The move comes after suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar asked municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to take immediate disciplinary action against those involved in the scam on Tuesday.

Suburban guardian minister Ashish Shelar (Hindustan Times)

“I have directed the BMC to suspend the officer responsible for the questionable certificates. The civic body has also been asked to file a police complaint against those involved in the racket,” Shelar told Hindustan Times.

Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who has been pursuing the issue of fraudulent birth certificates issued to illegal immigrants, called it the first major action in Mumbai. Gagrani also confirmed that the defaulting official would be suspended.

In a letter to Gagrani, Somaiya alleged that over 200 fake birth certificates were issued in the M/East ward — 100 in 2024 and 102 in 2025. He claimed that the medical officer/registrar and other staff, in collusion with agents, were behind the irregularities.

Somaiya said he had inspected seven hospitals in the area along with senior civic officials and police officers between November and December 2024. “These hospitals did not even exist, yet birth registrations were shown to have been done through them,” he said.

The Maharashtra government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in January 2025 to probe the delayed birth registration scam. Despite this, Somaiya said, 102 fake certificates were issued this year, Somaiya said, demanding the suspension of both current and former medical officers of the ward. He also claimed to have filed 29 FIRs across the state related to similar fraudulent certificates, involving 1,611 accused.

Meanwhile, BMC health department officials said the issue is being highlighted by the BJP in light of the upcoming civic body polls.