CBI probes Mal Municipality over fake birth certificates used for Afghan nationals Indian citizenship

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an inquiry into the Mal Municipality in West Bengal over allegations of issuing fake birth and death certificates that were allegedly used by foreign nationals to acquire Indian citizenship. The investigation specifically targets Afghan nationals who reportedly used these forged documents to obtain Indian passports. The CBI is focused on determining whether these documents were fraudulently processed by the municipal authorities and how they were used to facilitate the acquisition of Indian citizenship.

The investigation began after six Afghan nationals were detained at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. They were found to be in possession of Indian passports that were obtained through allegedly fraudulent means. The CBI believes that these individuals submitted birth records issued by the Mal Municipality as part of their application for citizenship and passports. Authorities suspect that these documents, issued by the municipality, may have been falsified to allow the applicants to obtain Indian citizenship.

Following these detentions, the CBI issued a notice to the Mal Municipality in November 2023. The notice requested information regarding the birth and death certificates linked to the six Afghan nationals. The CBI sought clarification on how the documents were issued, who authorized them, and whether the proper verification procedures were followed. As no response was received to the first notice, the CBI sent a second notice to the municipality on December 5, 2023, further requesting the municipality to provide detailed information about the issuance of these documents.

The CBI is specifically looking into 15 birth and death certificates related to the individuals involved in the case. These documents are suspected to have played a key role in the acquisition of Indian passports by the Afghan nationals. The investigation is centered on verifying the authenticity of these records and determining whether there was any unauthorized processing or approval of these certificates. The agency is also looking into the procedures followed by Mal Municipality when issuing these certificates to ensure they adhered to legal and administrative protocols.

Swapan Saha, the expelled chairman of Mal Municipality, responded to the CBI's requests by stating that the municipality had issued the certificates based on the documents submitted by the applicants, in accordance with standard procedures. He noted that the municipality had not received the first letter from the CBI, but had received the second letter and would cooperate with the investigation by providing all the necessary documents and information. He further emphasized that the municipality was not involved in any political activities related to the issuance of these certificates.

The CBI is also reviewing the broader implications of this case, including the potential misuse of municipal records for fraudulent citizenship claims. The investigation could involve further scrutiny of the issuance of documents in the region and the role of local authorities in the verification process. The agency is expected to gather more evidence and conduct further inquiries to determine the extent of any wrongdoing. The investigation is ongoing, and additional details may be revealed as it progresses.