A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged in Patna, Bihar, following the issuance of a residence certificate to a dog named "Dog Babu". The incident has sparked outrage and prompted a swift response from the district administration, who have initiated investigations and taken action against those found responsible.

The residence certificate, a document required for the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, was issued in the name of "Dog Babu," with "Kutta Babu" and "Kutiya Devi" listed as the parents. The address on the certificate was Mohalla Kaulichak, Ward No. 15, Nagar Parishad Masaurhi, Patna. A photograph of a golden retriever was also included on the certificate. The certificate was reportedly issued on July 24 and cancelled within two minutes of its issuance after it came to the notice of the district authorities.

Patna District Magistrate Thiyagarajan SM has ordered a detailed investigation into the matter, tasking the Masaurhi sub-divisional officer to submit a report within 24 hours. The DM has assured that departmental and disciplinary action will be taken against guilty employees and officers. Authorities are also working with the cyber police to track down the suspects and determine why such an application was filed.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the supporting documents uploaded with the application belonged to a woman from Delhi, suggesting data tampering. Specifically, the Aadhaar card of a woman named Vibha Kumari, with an address in Delhi, was used in the application. Her husband's Aadhaar card, also bearing a Delhi address, was also used. This indicates that the applicant misused identity documents belonging to others to fraudulently obtain the certificate. The fact that the certificate was digitally signed by Revenue Officer Murari Chauhan has raised concerns about a possible breach or misuse of credentials, as digitally signing requires a secure, government-issued dongle.

In response to the incident, the IT assistant, Rakesh Kumar, has been removed from service with immediate effect. A recommendation for the suspension of the revenue officer, Murari Chauhan, has been sent to the Revenue and Land Reforms Department. An FIR has been lodged against the applicant, the computer operator, and the officer who issued the certificate. The DM has stated that the authorities are tracking down those responsible in coordination with the cyber police station and that appropriate action is being taken against officials found negligent in the matter.

The incident has raised serious questions about the integrity of the e-governance systems and certificate issuance protocols in Bihar. Officials have admitted that residence certificates were forwarded without proper field verification, making the system vulnerable to exploitation. The District Magistrate has described the matter as "very serious" and has assured that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found guilty. He has also stated that such actions were not accidental but intentional.

This incident occurred during a special drive for the revision of electoral rolls, a period of high demand for such documents. It also comes amidst a row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bihar. The incident has drawn criticism and triggered widespread discussions on social media about lax verification procedures.

In a similar incident, a fake application for a residential certificate surfaced in Motihari, featuring a photo of Bhojpuri actress Monalisa and listing the applicant's name as "Sonalika Tractor" with "Swaraj Tractor" and "Car Devi" as the parents. An FIR has been registered in that case as well, and the matter has been handed over to the Cyber Crime Cell for investigation.