3 min readMumbaiFeb 14, 2026 05:06 AM IST
First published on: Feb 13, 2026 at 09:55 PM IST
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Friday initiated sweeping action over alleged irregularities linked to illegal hawkers and forged civic records. At a high level meeting convened to review the issue of suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators operating businesses in the city, Tawde announced that 237 fake birth certificates had been issued over the past two years.
She ordered criminal proceedings against those responsible, suspended eight civic officials, and directed a month-long verification drive across Mumbai. The civic administration will also audit its internal systems and verify all birth certificates issued since 2016.
Following the meeting, Tawde stated that the fake birth certificates were allegedly issued to facilitate suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators in setting up illegal businesses in Mumbai. According to a civic official, the certificates were issued between 2023 and 2025 by the M East ward covering Govandi and Mankhurd, the M West ward covering Chembur, and the L ward covering Kurla.
Tawde directed civic authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against officials involved in issuing these certificates.
“This is an issue and this needs to be dealt with utmost seriousness. The fake certificates were issued to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, compromising our national security. Therefore criminal cases are needed to be lodged against the officials as this incident also reflects a large-scale corruption racket in the BMC,” Tawde said.
The meeting was attended by senior civic officials, officers from Mumbai Police, former MP Kirit Somaiya, and the collectors of Mumbai city and suburban districts.
Civic officials said along with a month-long verification drive will now be launched, during which police teams will examine key documents, including birth certificates, of hawkers across Mumbai. In the process if any document is found to be forged, action will be taken against the hawkers concerned, while officials responsible for issuing such certificates will also face legal consequences.
Officials added that the BMC’s internal systems will be scrutinised and the identities of all persons issued birth certificates since 2016 will be verified as part of the broader inquiry.
So far, eight officials from the three ward offices have been suspended. All belong to the public health department, which is responsible for preparing and issuing birth and death certificates.
“These certificates were issued between 2023 and 2025 and we have compiled a report of all the fake certificates that have been issued and have submitted in the meeting for consideration in the next courses of actions. At the same time all the fake certificates that were issued were discarded by us and they are no longer relevant,” an official told The Indian Express.
The civic administration will also audit its internal systems and verify all birth certificates issued since 2016. 
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