Madhya Pradesh: Patwari Accused of Fraudulently Obtaining Signature in Shahpura Ration Card Dispute

Bhopal- In the ongoing dispute between the Tehsildar and a couple in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, the couple has now leveled allegations against the Patwari, accusing them of deceitfully procuring their resignation on a compromise/settlement agreement. The victims claim that the Patwari visited their village on Sunday and obtained their signatures on a letter under false pretenses, resulting in their disqualification for Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards.

On Saturday, Tehsildar Ravindra Singh Patel, stationed in Shahpura tehsil, faced accusations from a woman of assault and damaging her mobile phone in a closed room. Subsequently, upon the Collector's inquiry, it was alleged that the couple in question was ineligible for the BPL card.

In compliance with the Collector's directives, a team comprising Patwari, RI, Sarpanch, and Secretary visited the residence of the victim couple, Balkishan Burman, to investigate their ration card application. The couple alleges that the Patwari deceptively obtained their signatures on the letter during the investigation.

Balkishan Burman told The Mooknayak, "On Sunday, Patwari Anant Gurjar visited our village Ramkhiriya, claiming to be processing our ration card application. He coerced us into signing an agreement paper, deceitfully presenting it as related to the ration card."

The subsequent investigation led by the Patwari, alongside the Sarpanch and Secretary, deemed the couple ineligible for the ration card due to possessing a mobile phone and a motorcycle.

As per the government's poverty line criteria, eligibility typically requires a score of 14 marks, however, the Burman family exceeded this threshold with a score of 22 marks, rendering them ineligible for inclusion in the BPL list.

In response to the allegations against him, Tehsildar Ravindra Patel vehemently refuted the accusations, asserting their baselessness. He maintained that no assault took place, emphasizing the bustling environment of the Tehsildar office where any such incident would have been readily witnessed by the numerous individuals present.

"All the allegations leveled against me are baseless. There is always a significant crowd at the Tehsildar office, and if such an incident had occurred, it would have been witnessed by others present," Patel said.

Pooja Burman from Ramkhiriya village had been persistently pursuing the issuance of a ration card for a month, even lodging a complaint on the CM helpline. The couple's visit to the Tehsildar's office on Friday to address the ration card issue resulted in a confrontation, allegedly leading to assault and damage of property, prompting the couple to file a police complaint, with investigations ongoing.

Also Read-