'Murder-accused corporator fought polls on fake certificate'

Former Congress corporator Godhumal Kishnani (left); his son, Pravin

Former Congress corporator Godhumal Kishnani, prime accused in gangster Naresh Chaddi's murder, contested the 2012 civic polls in Ulhasnagar based on a forged Other Backward Class (OBC) caste certificate, claimed police inspector Bhimraj Ghadge alias Bhimrao of Thane police.

The serving police inspector added that the Thane police are not willing to take action against Kishnani.

Gangster Naresh Chaddi. File pic

Ghadge said, "Kishnani belongs to Shapuru community but to contest elections from Ulhasnagar in 2012, he made a fake caste certificate of Sindhur - 295 caste/tribe which is recognised as OBC under a Government Resolution."

Series of RTI applications

"Using the RTI Act, I learnt that the serial number 665/2011 mentioned in Kishnani's fake caste certificate does not match the name of the applicant in the record book at the tehsildar's office in Ulhasnagar," Ghadge said.

Bhimraj Ghadge, police inspector

Ghadge was the investigating officer in a forgery case against Kishnani but was allegedly removed after he refused to take a bribe. He is currently posted in the Thane police's control room.

When the inspector sought information on the applicant for serial number 665/2011, the RTI reply said, "The name of Godhumal Naraindas Kishnani is not mentioned in our record book of 2011; instead the name of the applicant in the serial number is Prakash R. Dhokane."

Ghadge told mid-day that after forging a caste certificate, Kishnani claimed that he works for the BMC and needed to get his certificate verified for a promotion.

Ghadge further explained that the research officer and member secretary of the Thane caste scrutiny committee, Ujjwala Sapkale, on October 16, 2018, had written to the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation's commissioner, saying that a caste validity certificate was not issued in Kishanani's name. To authenticate his forged caste certificate, Ghadge said Kishnani also made a fake school leaving certificate (SLC).

Also Read: 'Accused bribing cops to file closure reports', claims Naresh Chaddi's brother

Forged leaving certificate

Ghadge then dug more into Kishnani's forged SLC. As per this document, Kishnani supposedly took admission on June 20, 1958, and passed out from Maharashtra Hindi Vidyalaya, Aurangabad on September 30, 1962.

"However, through an RTI, I found out that Maharashtra Hindi Vidyalaya was established in June 1960. How could Kishnani have taken admission in 1958?

"Also, the SLC mentions the register number as 138 but the school wrote to me saying there's no record of Godhumal Kishnani as he never took admission there," said Ghadge.

He added, "How he procured the fake stamp and signatures to get the fake SLC is a matter of investigation."

Kishnani's father Naraindas Pappumal Chhapru died on October 26, 1968, revealed an RTI.

"But Kishnani got his father's caste certificate issued from the Office of Collector, Bombay city district on December 5, 1990. A caste certificate cannot be issued for a dead person. This too should be investigated by the authorities," Ghadge said, adding that Kishnani's son Pravin too has procured numerous fake documents, including a caste certificate.

'Police won't file FIR'

"I have given four complaints at Central police station, two at CBD police station and one at Ambernath police station regarding the forgeries done by the father-son duo. But due to the corruption, police are not ready to file a complaint," said Ghadge.

He has also written to the chief minister, home minister, and the Director General of Police, Maharashtra.

"When I filed the RTI seeking Kishnani's caste details, he was informed by the official that someone is seeking his details. A lawyer then sent a notice to the RTI official, telling him to not reveal the details. But, I managed to convince the RTI officer about why these crucial documents are required," Ghadge said.

Ghadge also claims that the father-son duo is running a parallel government in Ulhasnagar and is involved in corruption and malpractices. "They have illegally grabbed the lands of many people. And if a case is filed against them, the cops help them."

The Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Ulhasnagar division, DD Tele did not comment on Ghadge's complaints, while Thane's Commissioner of Police Vivek Phansalkar was unavailable for comment. Calls and messages to Kishnani, too, went unanswered.

1958
Year of admission in Godhumal Kishnani's allegedly fake school leaving certificate

1960
Year the school Maharashtra Hindi Vidyalaya in Aurangabad says it was established

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