Assam: Dhubri Dharmasala GP president withdraws High Court plea amid fraud and forgery allegations

Dhubri's Dharmasala Gaon Panchayat president Janobi Mandal on May 12 withdrew her writ petition from the Gauhati High Court after an FIR was lodged against her alleging submission of a forged birth certificate in connection with proceedings related to disqualification under Assam’s child marriage laws.

The petition, registered as WP(C) No. 957/2026, had been filed challenging legal proceedings linked to child marriage disqualification provisions. The matter was withdrawn and subsequently disposed of by the Gauhati High Court following allegations that fabricated public documents had been submitted before the court.

According to the complaint filed at Dhubri Police Station by Mohibul Hoque, a resident of Kachuar Khas Pt-I and one of the respondents in the writ petition, Mandal and her husband, Basir Uddin, allegedly conspired to create a fake birth certificate for their son, Sakib Hasan.

The complaint alleged that the document was submitted before the High Court as Annexure No. 2 in an attempt to mislead judicial proceedings. The allegations gained further traction after a Right to Information (RTI) query reportedly found no official government record of the certificate, indicating that the document may have been fabricated.

Senior police officials in Dhubri confirmed that a detailed verification process is underway. Police sources stated that, depending on the outcome of the inquiry, charges under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and other special laws may be invoked.

Investigators are examining allegations related to forgery, use of forged documents, possible contempt of court for allegedly misleading a constitutional court, and potential violations under child marriage laws and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

A senior police official said that strict legal action would be initiated if the allegations of forgery are substantiated. The official also stated that the withdrawal of the writ petition was being viewed by investigators as significant in light of the allegations raised in the FIR.

The development has triggered political debate in the district, with questions being raised over the conduct of elected representatives. Dhubri Police are also expected to investigate the origin of the alleged forged document and whether any administrative officials were involved in its procurement or issuance.