Jorhat, Assam: The scrutiny of residency documents submitted for government recruitment in Assam has widened, with the Jorhat district administration identifying 11 additional candidates suspected of using forged Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs) or domicile documents to establish eligibility for jobs.
The latest findings emerged during a review of recruitment records dating from 2022 to 2026, according to Jorhat Additional Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Bora. The administration began examining the documents after recruitment authorities sought verification of certificates submitted by selected candidates.
Officials suspect that the individuals identified in the latest review were from outside Assam but had allegedly presented themselves as residents of Jorhat or the state in order to meet domicile-related eligibility requirements.
Security Force Personnel Among Those Under Scrutiny
The 11 individuals named in the latest verification exercise are linked to several central security organisations.
Those identified include Arjun Sinwar, Netra Pal, Satish Chandra, Narendra Kumar, Hargobind Singh and Danbir Singh, who were linked to the Border Security Force (BSF).
Arun Meena was linked to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), while Rahul Singh, Pawan Kumar and Aman Kumar Patel were associated with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Another individual, Girish Chandra, was linked to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The district administration has reportedly shared the findings, including copies of the FIR and verification material, with the concerned recruitment authorities and battalions for further action.
Certificate Verification Exposes Irregularities
The suspected fraud came to light when recruitment agencies forwarded documents to the Jorhat administration for authentication. During the verification process, officials allegedly found discrepancies between the certificate numbers submitted by candidates and the records maintained by the administration.
In some cases, the numbers cited on the purported PRCs reportedly corresponded to completely different certificates rather than valid domicile documents. Officials also found instances in which caste certificates were allegedly forged.
The findings have raised questions about how such documents were prepared and subsequently used during recruitment.
Administration Rules Out Immediate Speculation on Officials
Bora has refrained from making allegations against government employees without evidence. He indicated that he did not presently believe personnel in the Deputy Commissioner’s office were involved in the suspected fraud, pointing to the online verification mechanisms used for PRCs.
At the same time, he raised the possibility that modern digital tools may have been used in creating or modifying some of the allegedly forged documents. The precise method used to produce the documents remains part of the investigation.
Similar Cases Reported Earlier
The latest discoveries come after Jorhat authorities uncovered another suspected certificate-forgery case in June 2026 involving candidates allegedly from outside Assam.
That earlier investigation began after central security organisations sought verification of PRCs and other documents submitted by recruits. Authorities reportedly found that certificates presented as proof of Jorhat residency did not match genuine government records.
The June investigation focused on documents allegedly connected to Naosholia village in Jorhat, with authorities examining suspected misuse of PRCs along with caste and income certificates. A police case was registered following the findings.
According to Bora, the documents examined in the latest cases bear similarities to those detected during the earlier investigation.
Investigation May Reveal More Cases
The Jorhat administration has indicated that the issue may not be limited to a single district. Bora said he had encountered similar cases while serving in Sonitpur and suggested that comparable instances could exist elsewhere in Assam.
The ongoing verification process is therefore expected to receive close attention, particularly where recruitment involves domicile-based eligibility or benefits intended for residents of the state.
Authorities are continuing to examine recruitment documents and verify the credentials submitted by candidates. Further cases could emerge if additional discrepancies are detected during the ongoing scrutiny.
The investigation is expected to determine not only who allegedly used the forged documents, but also how the certificates were prepared, authenticated and used during recruitment.
