MC detects edited papers in no-dues applications; 4 booked

Edited documents are being submitted by local residents to the municipal corporation (MC) to obtain no-dues certificate (NDC) with an intention to gain benefit by misleading the authorities.

The issue came to light when MC officials verified the documents and found that several had been tampered with. A complaint was filed with Arya Nagar police station, which has registered a case against four persons, identified as Praveen, Pramod Kumar, Ramphal, and Budhram.

“Several applications were recently received on the portal where citizens were required to upload ID proofs and supporting documents for obtaining NDC. During scrutiny, officials detected that documents attached to some applications appeared edited, prompting detailed verification. In particular, e-certificate and GRN of sale deeds had been tampered with,” said sources.

The officials examined documents from serial numbers 1 to 67, and found that multiple certificates carried the same e-certificate and GRN, despite being dated differently. The documents were digitally altered before submission, leading the authorities to request legal action.

A case relating to forgery, fraudulent use of documents, and providing false information to public authorities has been registered by the police on the complaint of the Deputy Municipal Commissioner.

“The police will further verify how the documents were edited and whether more persons are involved,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, MC Commissioner Anand Kumar Sharma said tampering with government records was a punishable offence. Appealing to residents, Sharma said, “While submitting applications related to property tax, only valid, original, and government-prescribed documents should be presented. Do not use documents prepared or edited by an agent. If false documents are submitted, legal action will be taken.”