STF uncovers network behind 1.40 lakh fake birth and 2,500 death certificates across UP.
Lucknow / Hardoi – The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Friday busted a major fake birth and death certificate racket, arresting five individuals, including Gram Panchayat officer Lal Bihari Pal, who has been identified as the kingpin. Preliminary investigations reveal that the gang has issued around 1.40 lakh fake birth certificates and 2,500 death certificates over the last several months.
Panchayat Officer at the Helm
According to STF officials, Lal Bihari Pal, posted in Ahirori Block, Hardoi, took earned leave from August 23 to October 22 to orchestrate the gang’s operations. During this period, he and his associates fabricated certificates and sold them to individuals seeking official documentation for personal or financial purposes.
Investigators said that Lal Bihari had long been active in certificate forgery, exploiting loopholes in the Panchayati Raj and birth-death registration systems.
Network Spans Multiple Districts
The gang’s reach extended across Lucknow, Gonda, and Hardoi districts. The five arrested include:
- Lal Bihari Pal, Gram Panchayat officer, Ahirori Block, Hardoi
- Ravi Verma, Sonu Verma, Satyamohan Verma, and Vanshraj Verma, residents of Pipra Bitora Madhiya, Gonda
During the raid, STF seized:
- 25 fake birth certificates
- 5 fake death certificates
- 7 ATM cards, 14 Ayushman cards
- 1 hard disk, 5 mobile phones, 1 car, and ₹27,690 cash
Use of Fake Documents
Preliminary investigation indicates that these forged certificates were being used to claim government benefits, insurance claims, and settle inheritance disputes. STF officials are now examining the extent to which these fraudulent documents facilitated financial or administrative gain.
Links to Previous Cases
Earlier this year, police in Hardoi uncovered over 700 fake birth and death certificates issued across several Gram Panchayats. Many local officials were implicated at that time. STF officers say the current gang may be part of the same wider network operating in the region.
Investigation and Forensic Evidence
The STF, based in Lucknow, had been monitoring the racket for two months. Digital surveillance and document verification led to coordinated raids in Subhash Nagar (Lucknow) and various locations in Hardoi.
The seized hard disk and mobile phones have been sent for forensic analysis in Lucknow, which is expected to reveal thousands of fraudulent records and certificate templates used by the gang.
Administrative and Public Health Risks
Experts say such fake certificates not only compromise government schemes and revenue but also undermine the reliability of population records, health program databases, and citizen identification systems.
Next Steps
The STF has presented all five arrested individuals in court and requested police remand to investigate the gang further. The Panchayati Raj Department has indicated that Lal Bihari Pal may be suspended from service pending further inquiry.
Conclusion
The case highlights the vulnerability of local administrative and digital record systems to fraud. While the STF’s action has disrupted a large-scale forgery operation, it also raises pressing concerns about the need to strengthen authentication, verification, and monitoring mechanisms within India’s government records system.
