Punjab and Haryana High Court cracks down on forged documents in public appointments, orders probe

In a significant crackdown on fraudulent practices in public appointments, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Staff Selection Commission, North-West Region, Chandigarh, to report all cases of forged documents to the UT Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). He was further instructed to take appropriate action under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

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Direction was also issued to Haryana State Vigilance Bureau to conduct an inquiry into the issuance of such certificates and submit a report before the court. For the purpose, the court set a three-month deadline.

The directions came as the court expressed grave concern over the growing trend of candidates securing undue benefits through forged certificates. The bench was hearing a petition challenging order dated January 27, whereby the petitioner-candidates were debarred for three years for allegedly submitting forged certificates.

Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj observed that multiple petitioners had submitted certificates regarding “physical limitations” purportedly issued by the offices of Jind Chief Medical Officer-cum-Civil Surgeon and Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. But none of the petitioners were residents of these districts.

“The tendency of candidates taking recourse to illegal methods including forgery of certificates for seeking different benefits including the benefit of reservation, sports gradation, and disability, etc., is on a leaping increase,” Justice Bhardwaj asserted, while adding UT SSP and Haryana Additional Chief Secretary as respondents.

Justice Bhardwaj did not mince words in highlighting the brazenness of candidates engaging in such practices. “The candidates have been emboldened in taking recourse to forged documents for securing public appointment by a belief that under any eventuality, no harsh action shall be taken against them in case they feel sorry or they withdraw their petition,” the court asserted.

Justice Bhardwaj added an “approach to condone such behaviour” promoted disregard to rule of law and motivated candidates to resort to forgery of documents to defeat the rights of other genuine candidates. Such practices were required to be dealt with sternly.

Justice Bhardwaj added the petitioners were, prima facie, violators of law and had sought preferential treatment by not only seeking a scribe, but also claiming extra time to write in the examination on the basis of documents which were prima facie forged. “The mere striking co-incidence of all persons belonging to a particular district securing the certificates from another State itself is sufficient to raise a doubt,” the court added.

Before parting with the case, Justice Bhardwaj added: “The inference, which thus flows, is that despite the petitioners being conscious of the documents being forged, they not only made an attempt to defeat the rights of other contesting candidates by placing reliance upon forged certificates but also showed an audacity to emphatically rely upon forged certificates for claiming a right and portraying victimisation.”