Internet Operator Uses e-Sign to Issue Death Certificates to Live Persons in Siddipet
The police booked a cheating and impersonation case against Madhu and Ramesh and took up investigation
Hyderabad: A private internet operator from Musheerabad allegedly issued death certificates for those who were alive by misusing the government e-sign dongle. He also gave birth certificates to two children within his family and one certificate to another child.
The operator identified as S Ramesh managed to give 21 death and three birth certificates with the help of a dongle secured from the former Rampur Gram Panchayat Secretary Bhukya Madhu in Siddipet. Ramesh allegedly gave death certificates after establishing contacts with the persons known to him in Hyderabad, Siddipet, Lingalaghanpur and other villages.
According to police, every Gram Panchayat Secretary gets the government's e-sign dongle access with a dedicated key number for issuing birth and death certificates. But after Madhu was transferred, another Secretary Santosh took charge.
He checked the browser history and much to his surprise, he found that 24 certificates were issued from February to September 2026 even though he did not issue any certificate raising more suspicion.
When the officials questioned Madhu about it, Madhu admitted that the internet operator Ramesh from Musheerabad accessed it and issued certificates.
The issue was brought to the notice of the district Collector K Hymavathi. Following her instructions, Mandal Panchayat Officer Sudhir Kumar lodged a complaint with the Cheriyal police.
The police booked a cheating and impersonation case against Madhu and Ramesh and took up investigation. When contacted, Cheriyal Police Station Sub-Inspector G Apoorva Reddy said on Tuesday that the case is under investigation and as of now, no one was arrested.
“We are trying to collect more details from Madhu and Ramesh about the intention behind using the e-sign dongle and misusing it to issue certificates,” she said, adding that presently Ramesh is absconding.
Officials said that focus would also be laid on money transactions, if any, in issuing birth and death certificates and persons who benefited with them apart from how Ramesh developed contact with Madhu.
The police officials, who verified 21 death certificate details found only four of them were dead while the remaining 17 were alive.
