Unveiling the Fake ST Certificates Scandal in Khag: A Decade of Deception
District administration announced a comprehensive review of all ST certificates issued during, 2009 to 2018
G M Bhat
Budgam, Aug 06 (KB): For nearly a decade, from 2009 to 2018, the small town of Khag in District Budgam has been at the center of a scandal involving the issuance of fake Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates.
Patiently, these documents, meant to provide social and economic benefits to marginalized communities, have been exploited, leading to a significant breach of trust and a call for justice.
Reliable sources told Kashmir Bulletin (KB) that scandal came to light when numerous discrepancies were found in the records of ST certificate issuances.
“Investigations revealed that dozens of certificates were issued under dubious circumstances, bypassing the stringent verification processes intended to prevent such fraud,” said source close to the development.
He added, the period under scrutiny spans almost a decade, raising questions about systemic flaws and possible complicity of officials in the Tehsil office of Khag.
Also, “the fake certificates not only deprived them of their rightful privileges but also tarnished the integrity of the system designed to uplift marginalized groups,” he added.
In response to the uproar, the district administration has announced a comprehensive review of all ST certificates issued during the period. “A digital verification system is being proposed to replace the old manual process, ensuring a more transparent and efficient method of issuance” an official told KB.
Meanwhile, Tehsildar Khag, Moien Azhar told reporters that as of now, we have received two certificates, one in 2015 and the other in 2019. We have already sent a detailed report to the SDM and DC, and we have verified all our other certificates; only these two have been issued fraudulently.— (KB)
