A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the Mumbai Police to investigate a massive birth certificate fraud within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The SIT will be led by Lakhmi Gautam, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), as per media reports.
The investigation centers on 87,347 birth certificates issued through an unauthorized SAP system by the BMC's health department. By bypassing the central government's Civil Registration System (CRS) portal, these certificates exposed deep systemic vulnerabilities in identity verification protocols.
Due to the serious national security and identity fraud implications, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis personally ordered the formation of the SIT to root out those responsible for exploiting the system.
A probe into Mumbai's municipal wards has revealed that 87,347 birth certificates were illegally generated via a discontinued SAP system, according to Mayor Ritu Tawde, cited by The Hindu. This breach violates the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, which mandates that all registrations be handled solely through the central government's CRS portal.
It was revealed that 87,347 unauthorized documents were issued via a defunct SAP system between 2024 and 2026. The systemic breach, which bypassed the central government's mandatory registration portal, came to light following a formal complaint by senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and a subsequent directive from State Deputy Chief Registrar Dr Babita Kamalapurkar.
Of the 236 cases currently exposed, 137 have already seen administrative action, while the remaining cases have been transitioned to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a deeper criminal investigation.
Mayor Tawde identified several Medical Officers of Health (MOHs) who have already faced disciplinary action, including transfers or suspensions across key civic wards such as Andheri (K East), Dahisar (R North), Byculla (E ward), and Kurla (L ward).
Despite these administrative moves, Kirit Somaiya has accused BMC authorities of attempting to suppress the full extent of the scandal. He alleged that a "cover-up operation" persisted even after multiple meetings with the mayor, warning that the 87,347 illegally issued certificates pose a significant security risk, as they could be exploited to obtain other official identification documents like Aadhaar.
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