PATNA: A first information report (FIR) has been registered in connection with a widely circulated domicile certificate issued to a dog in Bihar’s Patna on July 24, a Bihar government official said on Monday.
Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM said the FIR has been registered at the police station concerned against the applicant, the computer operator, and the officer who issued the certificate.
“The Masaurhi sub-divisional officer has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation of the entire matter and submit a report within 24 hours,” Thiyagarajan said. “Departmental and disciplinary action will be taken against the guilty employees and officers”.
“The certificate was applied on July 15 and issued on July 24 at 3.56 pm and was immediately cancelled within two minutes at 3.58 pm,” the district magistrate said.
Under the Bihar Right to Public Service (RTPS) Act, citizens can apply for a certificate of residence online, which is issued after due verification. This domicile certificate is one of the documents accepted for inclusion of names of people in the electoral rolls under the Election Commission of India (ECI)
But the document generated through the RTPS portal in this case, was issued to “Dog Babu”, son of “Kutta Babu” and “Kutiya Devi”, and that lived at Mohalla Kaulichak, Ward No 15, Nagar Parishad Masaurhi, Patna.
{{/usCountry}}But the document generated through the RTPS portal in this case, was issued to “Dog Babu”, son of “Kutta Babu” and “Kutiya Devi”, and that lived at Mohalla Kaulichak, Ward No 15, Nagar Parishad Masaurhi, Patna.
{{/usCountry}}Revenue officer Murari Chauhan had digitally signed the certificate.
Officials said preliminary inquiries indicated that the supporting documents uploaded with the application form belonged to a woman from Delhi.
“This is not a joke but a serious case of tampering with the government’s system and documents. It will be probed as to how the dongle of the revenue officer was misused,” said Prabhat Ranjan, circle officer at Masaurhi, adding that stringent action would be taken by whoever was involved in this “forgery”.
To be sure, a residence certificate has been issued earlier to a ‘Sonalika tractor’ in Munger.
Swaraj India member Yogendra Yadav took a swipe at the state government for issuing a domicile certificate to a dog in Patna and underlined that this was the same certificate that was being considered for the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise undertaken by ECI in Bihar.
Thiyagarajan said the authorities, in coordination with the cyber police station, were tracking the suspects, adding that necessary action is being taken against officials involved in the negligence.
“The process to suspend them is underway. Through the cyber police station, we are also trying to find out who did this and why such an application was filed. We will investigate and take action against all those who are behind this,” he added.