The Chhattisgarh Divyang Seva Sangh has blown the lid off a rampant scam involving fake disability certificates, alleging that nearly half of the state’s disabled employees are masquerading as genuine cases. The Sangh’s stunning revelation has raised serious questions about the authenticity of disability certificates and the complicity of top officials in perpetuating this fraud. At least 21 government employees, including seven deputy collectors, have already been identified as holding fake certificates.

The Chhattisgarh Divyang Seva Sangh alleges that 50% of disability certificates in government employment are fraudulent. Bohit Ram Chandrakar, the association’s president, disclosed that 21 individuals, including 7 Deputy Collectors, 3 Account Officers, 3 Naib Tehsildars, 2 Cooperative Inspectors, and 3 Veterinary Doctors, have secured their positions using fake disability certificates through the Public Service Commission (PSC).

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Addressing a press conference in Raipur, Chandrakar accused Gulab Singh Rajput, a Rural Agriculture Extension Officer from Lormi, Dr MK Rai, an ENT specialist from Mungeli, and Dr Pramod Mahajan, the Joint Director of Health in Bilaspur Division, of orchestrating the scam. He demanded their immediate dismissal and legal action.

Chandrakar revealed that several gangs are actively involved in creating fake disability certificates, charging between ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh. While some cases involve the complicity of medical professionals, in many instances, impostors pose as disabled individuals by bribing genuine disabled persons, thus depriving the rightful beneficiaries of government jobs.

Following complaints against 200 individuals by the Chhattisgarh Divyang Seva Sangh, only three government employees have been verified by the state medical board, all of whom were found to possess fake certificates. Richa Dubey, an Assistant Director of Agriculture in Mahasamund, has been dismissed, but no FIR has been lodged yet.

Similarly, no action has been taken against lecturers Satyendra Singh Chandel from Janjgir district and Akshay Singh Rajput from Mungeli district. Departments have issued letters to employees recruited under the disability quota, asking them to undergo verification.

The association pointed out that the highest number of fake certificates was issued in six to seven villages in the Lormi block of the Mungeli district, with around 200 individuals securing jobs with counterfeit hearing impairment certificates.

Chandrakar questioned the legitimacy of these certificates, sarcastically noting that it seems like an epidemic causing entire families to suffer from hearing impairment. The association demanded an investigation into all disability certificates issued in the villages of Lormi, Saradha, Jhaphal, Sukli, Vicharpur, Phuljhar, and Bodtara.

Association officials stated that a couple of years ago, they reported 52 Rural Agriculture Extension Officers, 11 Rural Horticulture Extension Officers, 39 officials and employees from Mungeli district, approximately 10 sub-engineers from the Water Resources Department, and about 15 sub-engineers from the Public Works Department for having fake disability certificates. However, no action has been taken to date.