'Widespread Corruption Is Disturbing': Allahabad High Court Orders FIR Against Man, Officials For 'Manipulating' DOB By 11 Years

Taking stern action over the alleged forgery and cheating pertaining to the manipulation of the Date of Birth by a man, the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Prayagraj Commissioner of Police to immediately register an FIR against him and the concerned Gram Panchayat official.A bench of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Anish Kumar Gupta termed the situation as 'shocking' and remarked that the extent of fabrication of documents was a direct result of “widespread corruption”.Briefly put, the petitioner (Shiv Shankar Pal) had filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the Passport Authority to correct the date of birth on his passport from 1994 to 2005.However, when the Court examined the records, it noted the absurdity of the petitioner's claim. It took into account his High School examination certificate which indicated that he passed the examination in 2011. The bench questioned how it was possible for a 2005-born person to sit for this examination in 2011, at the age of 6.Thus, dismissing the plea, the Court directed the lodging of an FIR for the offences of cheating and forgery under the relevant provisions of BNS against the petitioner and also against the officials concerned of the Gram Panchayat who issued the birth certificate dated November 04, 2025, showing his date of birth as July 11, 2005.For context, during the proceedings, the Court noted that the petitioner's High School examination certificate, issued by the Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad in the year 2011, explicitly recorded his date of birth as July 11, 1994.Furthermore, the Aadhaar card originally submitted by the petitioner at the time of passport application also showed his DOB of 1994.However, a copy of the Aadhaar card annexed with the writ petition showed the date of birth as July 11, 2005. This indicated that a correction had been carried out subsequently.The Court expressed deep anguish over the documents placed on record, particularly the birth certificate issued by the Gram Panchayat, Prayagraj, in November last year, which certified the petitioner's date of birth as 2005.Highlighting the absurdity of the claim, the Bench observed:“It is relevant to mention that if the contention of the petitioner is accepted and the date of birth is corrected, as prayed for, to the year 2005, then the High School examination certificate would reflect that the petitioner had taken the said examination at the age of approximately six years”.Thus, taking a stern view of the “lack of bona fides” and the 'manipulations' evident on record, the Court directed the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, to forthwith register an FIR.The matter has been listed for January 27, 2026, at the top of the list for compliance.The Court has also warned that, in the event of non-compliance, it would proceed against the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj.It may be noted that the same bench of the HC had recently come down heavily on the state's birth certificate issuance system after discovering that a petitioner had procured two different birth certificates showing entirely different dates of birth.Observing that the system reveals the "extent of dishonesty existing at all levels", this bench had summoned the Principal Secretary, Department of Medical and Health to suggest steps so that only one birth certificate is ever issued to a person.Case title - Shiv Shankar Pal vs. Union Of India And 2 OthersClick Here To Read/Download Order

'Widespread Corruption Is Disturbing': Allahabad High Court Orders FIR Against Man, Officials For 'Manipulating' DOB By 11 Years

Sparsh Upadhyay

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