MMC orders inquiry into cancellation of delayed certs

Nashik: The Malegaon Municipal Corporation (MMC) has decided to conduct an inquiry into the cancellation of 3,460 delayed birth and death certificates that were issued on the recommendation of the office of tehsildar. This is the same issue in which former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya claimed that the certificates were issued to rehabilitate Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims and sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT completed its inquiry and submitted its report to state govt. Mayor Nasrin Bano Shaikh said, "A seven-member committee led by me, including municipal commissioner, health officer and others has been formed to inquire into the fact as to why the certificates were cancelled, file a report about it to state govt and also find out ways to provide solution to the people who have been affected." Mustaqueem Dignity, member of the corporation from Samajwadi Party, said, "The ISLAM and SP (both political parties) had promised the citizens of Malegaon justice in the case as the issues were raised after the House was dissolved and the administrator only toed the line of state govt. We will now go to the bottom of the issue."Dignity noted that all 3,460 certificates - that also include the names of about 300 members from Hindu community of the corporation delivered since 2023, were cancelled claiming that ‘Naib Tahsildar' does not have powers to deliver it. "Nothing incremental was found so far with any of the documents provided by the applicants which explains that seekers were genuine. The issue is with you as to who should have signed. Why should the applicant suffer?," he questioned. Of these 3460, an FIR was registered with Killa Police Station, Malegaon against several people in case of 1044 certificates after the Tahsildar Office claimed that it did not issue any recommendations for them and that they bear fake signatures. In the process the individual files application for the delayed death and birth certificate with Tahsildar, who after verification issues recommendation to the concerned local self governing body to issue the same. In this case the Tahsil office claimed that it issued orders in case of 2416 applications only and not others. The corporation officials claimed they received requests for 3460 certificates and accordingly processed. "The applicants who submitted orders of Tahsildar office claimed they received from the office and presented it to corporation. Our claim is that if the signatures were fake why were necessary steps - verification from authorised handwriting experts or even forensic dept not considered before filing the FIR, in which men, women, young and old and even lawyers were put behind bars," said Dignity. On the SIT report, Dignity claimed that the report does not contain anything adverse or else the issue would have been used by the relevant forces during the elections to turn the tide in their favour. Dignity also added that the team will also propose ways and means to provide relief to the applicants, as they already used the same for their different works and schemes.