POCSO case registered against Assam’s Dhubri Panchayat President and husband amid forgery allegations

In a major development that has intensified legal and political controversy in Assam’s Dhubri district, police have registered a criminal case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against Janobi Mandal, President of Dharmasala Gaon Panchayat, and her husband Basir Uddin.

According to police sources, Dhubri Police Station registered Dhubri P.S. Case No. 186/2026 on Wednesday under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and Section 6 of the POCSO Act.

The latest case comes amid an already controversial legal dispute involving allegations that Janobi Mandal and her husband fabricated birth documents to avoid statutory disqualification under Assam’s Panchayat laws and allegedly mislead the Gauhati High Court.

The controversy began after Dhubri resident Mohibul Hoque lodged an FIR accusing the couple of criminal conspiracy, forgery and cheating.

At the centre of the allegations are conflicting birth records of the couple’s son, Sakib Hasan.

According to the complaint, an original birth certificate issued by Dhubri Civil Hospital on July 13, 2015 reportedly mentioned the child’s date of birth as June 3, 2015. However, another certificate allegedly issued by Gauripur Community Health Centre on February 5, 2026 stated the birth date as January 15, 2017.

The allegedly conflicting certificate later came under scrutiny after it was reportedly submitted before the Gauhati High Court in connection with a writ petition related to panchayat disqualification proceedings.

Seeking verification, the complainant filed a Right to Information (RTI) application before the Registrar of Births and Deaths at Gauripur CHC. In an official reply dated March 24, 2026, authorities reportedly informed that the questioned certificate did not exist in official records, leading to allegations that the document was fraudulent.

The FIR further alleged that the forged document was intentionally used to mislead the Gauhati High Court, obstruct lawful proceedings and unlawfully retain Janobi Mandal’s elected post as Panchayat President.

In a dramatic turn, Janobi Mandal later withdrew her writ petition, WP(C) No. 957/2026, before the Gauhati High Court on May 12, shortly after media reports highlighting the forgery allegations surfaced.

The petition was subsequently disposed of by the High Court on the same day.

At the time, complainant Mohibul Hoque questioned the timing of the withdrawal, stating that if the documents were genuine, there would have been no reason to abandon the petition suddenly.

Legal observers had also noted that withdrawal of a writ petition does not erase criminal liability in cases involving alleged forgery, cheating or fabrication of public records.

With the registration of the latest case under the POCSO Act and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, the controversy surrounding the Dharmasala Gaon Panchayat president and her husband has taken a more serious turn, drawing attention from legal circles, political observers and residents across Dhubri district.

Police sources said the investigation is currently underway.