Murji Patel, a former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) corporator representing Andheri (East), finds himself embroiled in legal trouble as the Shahu Nagar police in Mumbai have booked him for allegedly submitting counterfeit documents to acquire an Other Backward Caste (OBC) certificate. These purported documents were presented before the Election Commission during his bid for electoral office in 2017.
The inquiry initiated by the Caste Validity Certificate Verification Committee revealed inconsistencies in Patel’s familial documentation, prompting the committee to seek legal intervention. Subsequently, upon the court’s directive in Bandra, the police initiated a case against the former BJP corporator.
The charges, encompassing forgery under the Indian Penal Code and violations of the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000, were filed on February 16.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by legal officer Milind Bhanudas Patil, discrepancies emerged during the vigilance team’s scrutiny of Patel’s submitted documents. Despite Patel’s presentation of his school leaving certificate and his father Kanji’s birth certificate and school records to substantiate his caste claims, critical gaps surfaced.
The inquiry revealed a notable absence of records regarding Kanji’s school leaving certificate, casting doubt on its authenticity. The suspicion deepened as it was discovered that the certificate was dated June 8, 1997, a Sunday—an unusual occurrence. Moreover, disparities were noted between the names mentioned in Kanji’s birth certificate submitted by Patel and the original records maintained by the health department.
Consequently, the committee opted to escalate the matter, leading to the formal registration of a case.
A senior police official from the Mumbai police affirmed the registration of the FIR, emphasizing the independent verification of all documents before determining subsequent actions. The investigation into the alleged fabrication of documents remains ongoing.