Senior BJP leader and former Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday made serious allegations, claiming that a large-scale fraud had been uncovered within the Civil Registration System, commonly known as the CRS portal. According to him, “One lakh fake forged birth certificates issued in two months through Central Registration System (CRS)”, a claim that has triggered sharp political reactions and raised questions about the security of official identity records in the country.

Speaking at a press conference, Somaiya said that more than one lakh fake birth certificates were allegedly generated within just two months, November and December 2025. He stressed that this was not a minor administrative lapse but a well-planned operation that could have long-term consequences. According to him, the issue went beyond corruption and directly threatened national security, as birth certificates form the foundation for multiple identity documents in India.

Somaiya alleged that the fraud was carried out by illegally accessing the Centre’s CRS portal and altering official records. Referring to what he described as “shocking” findings, he pointed to glaring irregularities across several districts. These included Jalgaon, Parola, and Yavatmal in Maharashtra, along with Rae Bareli and Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. In some villages with a population of only 1,000 to 1,500 people, authorities reportedly found between 10,000 and 27,000 birth registrations. He highlighted that nearly 99 per cent of these registrations were for individuals aged between 20 and 60 years, an anomaly that raised serious concerns about the authenticity of the data.

Inter-State Network Exposed, Multiple Arrests

Detailing the progress of the investigation, Somaiya said that eight people had been arrested so far in connection with what he described as an inter-state racket. He identified Avadhesh Kumar Dubey as the main accused, alleging that Dubey used computer systems to manipulate and falsify birth records on the CRS portal. Somaiya said he had already met Maharashtra Director General of Police Sadanand Date to brief him on the matter and added that he intended to raise the issue with the central government in New Delhi.

He further alleged that these fake birth certificates were being used to “legitimise infiltrators”, enabling them to obtain Indian identity documents. According to him, this misuse of the registration system could allow illegal immigrants to blend into official records, making detection and action far more difficult for authorities.

Drive Against Illegal Bangladeshi Hawkers in Mumbai

Connecting the alleged birth certificate scam to illegal immigration, Somaiya claimed that thousands of Bangladeshi nationals were working as hawkers on the streets of Mumbai without valid authorization. He said that a coordinated enforcement drive, carried out with the support of the Mumbai Police Commissioner and the Municipal Commissioner, had resulted in the removal of several encroachments. Among the areas cleared, he specifically mentioned the vicinity of the Mulund railway station.

During the same press interaction, Somaiya also targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, making political allegations related to voting patterns. He claimed that constituencies with a predominantly Muslim population tended to support the MIM, while areas with 15 to 20 per cent Muslim voters showed electoral backing for Thackeray’s party. According to Somaiya, political leaders who allegedly viewed illegal Bangladeshi migrants as a vote bank were actively trying to block enforcement actions.

He went on to state that those promoting what he referred to as the “greening” of Mumbai would face a “fitting reply” from the BJP, adding that the response would come under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2026.