Shahjahanpur: A case involving the alleged use of forged and fabricated experience certificates to secure construction contracts worth crores of rupees from Shahjahanpur Municipal Corporation has come to light. M/s Bhadauria Construction is accused of submitting questionable documents to establish its technical capacity and previous work experience while participating in various municipal tenders. After discrepancies were reportedly found during verification, Municipal Commissioner Saumya Gururani directed that an FIR be registered against the firm, that it be blacklisted, that its ongoing works be stopped immediately and that payments made on the basis of allegedly forged documents be recovered.
The preliminary inquiry has raised questions over two experience certificates submitted by the firm. One certificate was purportedly issued by Haldwani Municipal Corporation, while the other was shown as being related to Khutar Development Block. Verification reportedly revealed discrepancies between the documents submitted by the firm and official records.
Certificate Not Found in Haldwani Municipal Records
The Haldwani-related experience certificate was among the first documents examined during the verification process. The certificate submitted by the firm reportedly claimed that it had completed work for Haldwani Municipal Corporation.
To verify the document, information was sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. During the verification, officials reportedly found that the firm’s work was not recorded in the relevant PG book of Haldwani Municipal Corporation. The absence of the claimed work from official records raised questions over the authenticity of the certificate.
Following this finding, the municipal authorities began examining other experience documents submitted by the contractor as part of its tender applications.
Discrepancies Also Found in Khutar Certificate
The second certificate was related to Khutar Development Block. During verification, several differences were reportedly found between the information contained in the certificate and departmental records.
A verification conducted at the Block Development Officer level reportedly raised further questions over the document. Officials also suspected that some information in the certificate may have been edited and presented as an authentic document.
However, the exact manner in which the document was allegedly prepared or altered, and the individuals responsible for it, will be established only after the detailed investigation is completed.
More Than ₹3 Crore Worth of Works Awarded
The matter has assumed greater significance because the firm reportedly received several development contracts from the Municipal Corporation over the past three years.
The projects included road construction, drainage work, boundary walls, park beautification, interlocking work, culverts, sewerage-related works and construction of a temporary cow shelter. The combined value of these works is reportedly more than ₹3 crore.
Of this amount, more than ₹2.5 crore is claimed to have already been paid to the firm. The records also indicate that two or three additional work orders were issued to the firm during the past four to six months.
Questions Over Verification by Construction Department
The case has also raised questions over the functioning of the Municipal Corporation’s construction department. For works costing more than ₹50 lakh, verification of a contractor’s technical capacity and experience certificates is an important part of the tender process.
This has prompted questions over how the firm continued to receive work orders if the experience documents submitted by it were allegedly not properly verified.
The role of officials involved in the tender process may also come under scrutiny. Investigators are expected to examine at what stage the documents were verified, what records were relied upon to determine the firm’s eligibility and whether the prescribed verification procedure was followed.
Recovery of Payments, Stoppage of Ongoing Works Ordered
After the alleged discrepancies came to light, the Municipal Commissioner directed officials to initiate legal action against the firm. Instructions have also reportedly been issued to begin the process of blacklisting the contractor and immediately stop its ongoing works.
The Municipal Corporation will now examine how many contracts were awarded on the basis of the disputed documents and how much money was paid against those works. If payments are found to have been made on the basis of forged documents, recovery proceedings will be initiated according to the applicable rules.
Municipal Commissioner Saumya Gururani said directions had been issued to register a case against the firm for obtaining municipal works on the basis of fabricated experience certificates, blacklist it and stop its ongoing works. She also said payments made on the basis of forged documents would be recovered.
The police and municipal authorities will now verify the documents and records before taking further action. The investigation is also expected to determine who allegedly prepared the disputed certificates, how they were used during the tender process and whether any other individuals or officials played a role in the alleged irregularities.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
