NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against unknown government officials and other persons in a case pertaining to alleged issuance of fake caste certificates, which were used for medical admissions in West Bengal in the last three years.
The agency has registered the FIR following a direction issued by the Calcutta High Court on January 24, 2024, while hearing the matter of Itisha Soren vs Union of India.
Soren, who appeared in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test last year, belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. She has claimed that she was denied a seat in a government medical college, though others made it by showing fake ST certificates.
According to the CBI FIR, a copy of which is with this newspaper, a large number of candidates were allotted seats for different government colleges with ST certificates, which were obtained from the competent authority either fraudulently or by way of manipulation.
“The genuineness of ST certificates of a large number of NEET (UG)-2023 qualified candidates, who participated as ST category candidates, actually do not belong to the ST community and consequently, their ST certificates are not valid. The authority concerned did not take any steps to that effect, the CBI further alleged in the FIR.
“Under such circumstances, the petitioner lodged a complaint to the Director of Medical Education and Chairman of West Bengal Medical Counseling Committee, against which no proper action was initiated,” the FIR said.
The FIR mentioned that due to the “utter violation of the principles of natural Justice, equity and fair play,” the respondents have deprived the petitioner of a legitimate claim to which she is entitled under the law.
Not fair play
The CBI has registered the FIR following Calcutta HC order while hearing the matter in Itisha Soren vs Union of India case. Soren, who took the NEET-UG last year, belongs to the ST category. She has claimed that she was denied a seat in a government medical college, though others made it by showing fake ST certificates.