TD MLA in fake ST certificate row

ADILABAD
Oct. 11: It is learnt that the Adilabad collector, Mr Ahmad Nadeem, has cancelled the caste certificate (ST) of Suman Rathod, Telugu Desam (TD) MLA from Khanapur (ST).
It has been alleged that she obtained an ST caste certificate through fraudulent means, though she belongs to the Banjara community which comes under the backward community in Maharashtra.
But orders have not been issued officially so far in this regard.
The collector also refused to comment on the matter.
A committee headed by joint collector, Mr Vijay Kumar, conducted an inquiry into the validity of MLA’s caste certificate and submitted a report to the collector.
Ms Suman Rathod said she had submitted enough proof to the officials concerned to prove that she had been residing in Adilabad before 1977 and had patta lands, but officials did not verify them. She made it clear that she would approach the AP High Court on the cancellation of her ST certificate and said that she had not received any orders so far regarding cancellation.
Her husband Ramesh Rathod, Adilabad MP, said a few political leaders thought the cancellation of an ST certificate of an MLA would necessitate byelections and the ruling party candidate would win in these, or else, the second leading candidate in the 2008 elections would be elected as MLA once Ms Suman Rathod was disqualified. He said that this would not happen.
Meanwhile, sources said that K. Suresh, a former tahasildar of Utnoor, who worked as PA to Mr Ramesh Rathod when he was Khanapur MLA, issued ST certificate without proper verification just on the recommendation of his staff.
Source::DC