In a major crackdown in the Banbhulpura area of Haldwani, Uttarakhand, the Kumaon Commissioner, Deepak Rawat, conducted search operations at two local Common Service Centres (CSCs) on Thursday, 12 November, following complaints of forged permanent residence certificates. The raids were carried out after allegations surfaced regarding misuse of phone numbers and documents at the CSCs in the region.

According to official reports, a clerk named Faizan Mikarani—employed at a CSC operating under Haldwani Tehsil—was found to be involved in document forgery. It is alleged that Faizan fabricated a permanent residence certificate in the name of Raees Ahmed from Uttar Pradesh, for another individual who shared the same name. The issue came to light when Raees Ahmed, a resident of Bareilly, filed a formal complaint with Commissioner Rawat, stating that a certificate had been made in his name without his involvement. Further investigation revealed that Faizan Mikarani had produced the fake certificates.

During the subsequent raids, authorities searched both Faizan’s home and the CSC centre he operated. Investigators recovered a number of identity documents including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, voter ID cards, and electricity bills belonging to numerous individuals. It was established that Faizan had misused an individual’s mobile number to facilitate the creation of fake documents. Commissioner Rawat remarked that this discovery exposed a “long-standing fraud” and ordered all tehsils to ensure transparent preparation of certificates to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.

Additionally, during the inspection, it was found that Faizan’s second CSC in Banbhulpura was operating without proper licence and was closed at the time of the raid. Commissioner Rawat warned that anyone found operating unlicensed within the Tehsil premises would face strict action. He also questioned two individuals—Devendra Pandey and his wife Nandi Pandey—along with Jalees, in whose names Faizan had allegedly created fake email IDs. The investigation indicated that some other officials may have been involved in forging documents alongside Faizan. Among the seized items were several old electricity bills that were being misused alongside forged documents. Commissioner Rawat directed the SDM of Haldwani to interrogate the local Patwari who validated the documents online, and instructed the Circle Officer of Police to conduct a thorough investigation and make arrests.

Encroachment Issues in the Banbhulpura Area

The Banbhulpura region in the Nainital district has long been challenged by widespread illegal encroachments. The recent raids by Commissioner Rawat at the CSCs bring to light how forged certificates may have aided unauthorised residents in asserting fake residency rights.

In February 2024, the area witnessed major unrest after the local administration attempted to remove encroachments. A large mob allegedly pelted stones and engaged in arson when authorities went to demolish a madrasa built on government land near the Banbhulpura police station. The mob surrounded the police station, set vehicles ablaze and attacked municipal workers and the SDM. The violence resulted in several deaths and injuring of more than 100 police personnel.

A similar episode occurred in January 2023 when action was taken—under a High Court order—to evict encroachers from land owned by the Indian Railways in Haldwani. Around 4,000 families were reported to be residing illegally on railway land, which hindered the expansion of tracks. The residents, predominantly from the Muslim community, claimed that clearance would severely affect women, children and older people in their settlements. Railway officials stated that previous requests to increase tracks had been blocked because of encroachments.

Uttarakhand orders probe into demographic shifts across Dehradun region

The Uttarakhand government has initiated a formal investigation into the alleged demographic changes taking place in the Pachhadun area of Dehradun and several other regions across the state. This inquiry has been launched after rising concerns from both residents and officials about irregularities in documents and noticeable population changes in many villages.

According to officials, all district administrations have been instructed to conduct a detailed scrutiny of critical documents, including Aadhaar cards, family registers, and voter ID records. Authorities have received multiple reports pointing to errors, discrepancies, and possible instances of fraud, prompting a closer examination of these records.

Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, Parag Madhukar Dhakate, stated that the complaints about irregularities in Aadhaar and family registers have forced the administration to undertake a serious investigation. He said the government is committed to studying the issue thoroughly, adding that appropriate guidelines and corrective actions would follow once the inquiry provides clearer insights. Officials also noted that demographic changes have been observed in several districts. Because of this, district administrations and local police have been directed to keep a close watch on Common Service Centers (CSCs) and other institutions responsible for issuing official certificates and documents.

Concerns from residents have played a significant role in pushing the government towards this investigation. Many villagers in the Pachhadun region and surrounding areas have raised alarm over a rapid increase in the Muslim population in their villages. Locals say the rise is visible and has become more noticeable in the past few years. Several residents claim that the increase is linked to marriages and the settlement of relatives from outside the area, who reportedly moved in without proper verification or checks.

Shyam Lal, an 83-year-old resident of Dhakrani village, said that the Muslim population in the area had once been very small but had risen sharply in recent years. A former village head, Mausam Singh, highlighted how rapid construction and encroachment took place earlier and mentioned, "Vacant lands around the canal were encroached upon and constructions were built. The local public representatives at that time helped them obtain legal documents. There was no investigation into this." His statement reflects how the problem may have deepened over the years due to a lack of administrative scrutiny.

Several other locals, including shopkeeper Pankaj, expressed similar concerns and said that many of the new families settling in the area over the past 10–15 years are unfamiliar to the long-time residents. Shanti Devi, who has lived in the region for decades, also shared that the number of Muslim families had increased significantly compared to earlier times.

However, some Muslim residents have offered a different perspective. Zahid, from Jeevangarh village, acknowledged that several families had indeed settled their relatives in the area after facing issues in their previous locations. Another resident, Mohammad Imran, shared that he had been living in the area for the past 20 years, implying that not every case of migration is recent or suspicious.

The demographic changes have also evolved into a political issue. The BJP has described the shift as a threat to the cultural identity of Devbhoomi, while the Congress has maintained that every citizen of India has the constitutional right to relocate and live anywhere in the country. BJP’s Mahendra Bhatt argued that the region’s cultural identity must be protected, claiming that the majority population has declined by 40–60 per cent in several localities. On the other hand, Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana countered the BJP’s claims by stating that the ruling party was unnecessarily politicising the matter. He pointed out that the BJP has been in power for most of Uttarakhand’s statehood and thus cannot distance itself from the developments that took place during its tenure.

Dhasmana further argued that freedom of movement and settlement within the country applies to all citizens. To emphasise his point, he referenced well-known public figures, stating, "Will someone tomorrow ask Yogi Adityanath, 'How did you become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh if you are from Pauri Garhwal?' Or will someone ask Ajit Doval, 'Why do you live in Delhi if you are from the mountains?'" His remarks underline the Congress party’s stance that migration within India should not be treated as a threat unless backed by evidence of illegality.

The investigation ordered by the government is currently underway, and authorities are expected to take further steps once the findings become clearer. Monitoring mechanisms, especially around CSCs and other document-issuing centres, are likely to tighten as officials attempt to ensure greater transparency and accuracy in population-related records.