NGO uses fake seals to attest documents, RTI reveals

Kashmir Dispatch: Srinagar: Wednesday, 11 March 2015.

Police has registered a case against a Non-Governmnetal Organization (NGO) for using fake stamps to attest the documents and preparing fake middle pass certificates to the desired candidates in lieu of handsome cash. Police acted swiftly, after Chief Education Officers Office Ganderbal in response to a query under Right to Information Act, 2009 revealed that authentic seal of Headmistress Government Girls High School Pandach, Ganderbal has been used and is being used by some ESCORTS (NGO) for attestation of documents.

The application under RTI Act was filed by a social activist Mrs Sofia Ali Parray, a resident of Baghi Ali Mardan Khan Nowshera Srinagar. “During flood furry Chairperson ESCORTS NGO approached me for some help. I supplied her medicines and blankets and other items but was upset when affected people approached me complaining that they did not receive anything from the ESCORTS NGO. I was shocked when I came to know that this NGO demands money from people for attesting fake documents and accordingly I filed an application under RTI Act before Registrar Societies and the facts that surfaced were shocking. It came to fore that all the seals used by ESCORTS NGO were fake and furthermore, all the details submitted by the said NGO about it’s members were also bogus,” Sofia while showing the documents said.

The information sought under RTI reveals that no office of the said NGO exists anywhere in Kashmir and its chairperson who is a lady is a government employee.

When contacted Headmistress GGHS Pandach Ganderbal, Shehzadi Kulsoom told CNS that she wants to inform general public and concerned departments that it has come to her notice from the Directorate School Education Kashmir under RTI Act-2009 that her school seal has been used and is being used by ESCORTS (NGO) Rajbagh Srinagar by its chairperson and General Secretary for attestation of documents. “This has been verified and investigated by the school authority and it was found that the seal and signature is fake,” she said adding that an a case has been registered against the said NGO in police station Soura.

She added that she doesn’t know from how many people this NGO would have grabbed money and provided fake certificates.

A police official confirmed that a formal case vide FIR number 10/2015 has been registered in this regard and investigation is going on. “We are looking at every angle and want to know what kind of fake certificates had been issued by the accused,” he said.