Sri Vijaya Puram: A laboratory technician working under the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly securing his government job using a forged educational certificate.
The accused, identified as Dipak Kumar Das, had been employed as a Laboratory Assistant in the DHS based in Vijaya Puram, Sri Vijaya Puram. According to a CBI First Information Report (FIR), Das obtained the post using a “Certificate of Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technique (DMLT)” issued by the Institute of Medical and Technological Research (IMTR), Calcutta.
However, the CBI investigation has revealed that the document submitted by Das does not meet the qualification criteria set by the health department. As per the recruitment norms, the position required a valid certificate in Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT), not merely Medical Laboratory Technique. Furthermore, the West Bengal State Council of Technical Education (WBSCTE), the certifying authority for the course, confirmed that while they did offer a one-year MLT course at IMTR Calcutta, they never issued any certificate, MLT or DMLT, to Dipak Kumar Das.
“Enquiry further revealed that West Bengal State Council of Technical Education (WBSCTE) used to offer a one-year duration course in Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) to IMTR Calcutta, but they never issued any certificate of MLT or DMLT in favour of Dipak Kumar Das,” the FIR stated.
Based on the preliminary findings, the CBI concluded that Das had used a forged certificate and knowingly passed it off as genuine, a criminal offence under Section 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which relates to using a forged document as authentic.
“Therefore, a regular case may be registered in the branch against Dipak Kumar Das, Lab Technician, DHS, Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar Administration,” the preliminary report added.
The DHS in Sri Vijaya Puram has not yet issued a formal statement on the matter. It remains to be seen whether Das will face immediate suspension or departmental action in parallel with the CBI proceedings.
The development comes at a time when the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has been under increased pressure to maintain transparency and integrity in public service appointments. If proven, this case could not only lead to criminal charges against the accused but also raise concerns about the efficacy of document verification processes in remote island postings.
