Former Assam MLA Named in Caste Fraud Bombshell—Professors, Engineers Also Involved

Former MLA and ex-chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission, Dr Tara Prasad Das, is at the centre of a growing controversy after a youth organisation accused him of fraudulently acquiring a Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate to take advantage of caste-based political reservation.

The allegations have been levelled by the Anusuchit Jati Sangrami Yuva Parishad, Assam, which has demanded a thorough government investigation into the entire episode. The organisation claims that Dr Das secured his SC certificate on May 26, 2025, through the Assam government's digital platform Mission Bhumiputra, a system designed to make the caste certificate process faster and more transparent. However, the group insists that this particular certificate was obtained through dishonest means.

Locals Alerted the Group After Certificate Became Public

According to the Yuva Parishad, the matter came to light when residents of Barpeta, Dr Das’s hometown, expressed shock after learning that he had been granted an SC certificate. Locals had long known Dr Das as someone from the general category and claimed he had never been associated with any Scheduled Caste community throughout his public life.

Following the tip-off, the organisation conducted its own ground-level inquiry in Rongpurhati, Barpeta, the locality where Dr Das’s ancestral home is located. They found no historical record or present-day evidence of any Namasudra community members, the sub-caste Dr Das reportedly claimed to belong to, ever living in that area.

Contradictions in Past Records

The youth body pointed to several inconsistencies in Dr Das’s background that they say raise serious doubts about his SC status.

They revealed that Dr Das had obtained his MBBS degree from Gauhati Medical College in 1972 under the general category. They also highlighted that during his bids in the 2001, 2006, and 2011 state elections from the Sorukhetri constituency, he had never declared himself as an SC candidate in his nomination documents submitted to the Election Commission.

The group asked, “If he truly belongs to a Scheduled Caste, why did he contest past elections as a general category candidate? Why didn’t he mention his SC status earlier?”

Moreover, they found troubling inconsistencies in his date of birth records. His Aadhaar card lists his date of birth as September 1, 1958. Yet, in election affidavits, he claimed to have completed his pre-university exams in 1964 and obtained his MBBS in 1972. This would mean he passed high school at age 6 and graduated as a doctor at age 14, which is clearly impossible.

Certificate Allegedly Approved Without Proper Verification

The organisation also questioned how the Barpeta district administration approved his SC certificate without any local verification. When asked, Additional Deputy Commissioner Gitashree Lachit reportedly said the certificate was issued based on the recommendation of the Barpeta District Scheduled Caste Board. But when the group approached members of that board, they expressed suspicion that their signatures may have been forged or misused in the process.

The youth body has stated that the board is preparing to formally request the cancellation of Dr Das’s caste certificate, citing procedural irregularities and public concern.

Political Motive Behind the Move?

The Anusuchit Jati Sangrami Yuva Parishad believes the motive behind the alleged fraud was to enable Dr Das to contest elections from an SC-reserved constituency, possibly the Barpeta seat. “He manipulated documents, took advantage of the system, and tried to deprive genuine SC candidates of their political rights,” said Sanjib Das, president of the organisation.

He added, “It sets a dangerous precedent. If someone can suddenly become SC after decades of being recognised as general, what's stopping others—even outsiders or ineligible people—from doing the same? This must stop.”

Not Just One Case

The organisation has also pointed out that Dr Das is not the only one. They alleged that similar fraudulent caste certificates have been used by other government officials, including a doctor at Tangla Civil Hospital, a college lecturer in Mazbat, and an assistant engineer, all of whom, they claim, benefited from SC reservation by submitting questionable documents.

According to the group, the Udalguri district administration has already begun investigations into these individuals based on official orders from the Home Ministry and the Supreme Court’s guidelines.

Demand for Action

Through a press statement, the Anusuchit Jati Sangrami Yuva Parishad has appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the concerned ministers to take swift action against Dr Tara Prasad Das and others involved in such acts of fraud.

They have demanded that all suspicious caste certificates be reviewed by the state-level caste certificate re-verification committee, and that legal action be taken where fraud is proven. “We will not allow anyone to steal the constitutional rights of marginalised communities through lies and manipulation,” the statement read.

Notably, Dr Das had quit the Congress party ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections and joined the Assam Gana Parishad (AGP). Just three months after joining, the former MLA was appointed vice-president of the AGP’s central committee by the party leadership.

Earlier in his political career, Dr Das had contested as an independent candidate and secured victories in both the 2001 and 2006 Assembly elections.

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