UP: Clerk forges signatures, clears 177 land dispute files in Bulandshahr

A clerk at the tehsildar's office at Khurja in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district allegedly cleared 177 files related to land disputes after forging a senior official's signature.

The accused clerk Deepak Goyal then uploaded these files on the government portal. All this was done when the official was transferred out in June and his replacement had not taken charge.

Sanjay Kumar, who served as the tehsildar in Khurja tehsil from 13 February to 30 June is currently deputy collector in Gorakhpur district following his promotion.

Jyotsna Singh took charge as Khurja tehsildar on 13 July.

Kumar reported the matter to SDM Khurja, Rakesh Kumar Singh, and later informed district magistrate, Bulandshahr, Chandra Prakash Singh, that numerous cases filed in the Khurja Tehsil court had been resolved using his forged signature.

The district magistrate handed over the investigation to ADM Prabhat Kumar and ordered an FIR against the clerk with immediate effect.

The district magistrate said, "Deepak Goyal, who has confessed to forging Kumar's signatures to pass orders and dismissal in over 150 cases related to land disputes, has been suspended and attached to the tehsil. We also ordered filing an FIR against him on the basis of the investigation and complaint lodged by Sanjay Kumar.”