'Dog Babu' Residence Certificate Sparks Outrage in Bihar; Patna DM Orders Probe

A bizarre and troubling incident in Bihar's Patna district has triggered a full-fledged inquiry after a residence certificate was fraudulently issued in the name of ‘Dog Babu,’ complete with a dog’s photograph and fictitious parental details. The document, generated through the state’s Right to Public Services portal, identified the father as ‘Kutta Babu’ and the mother as ‘Kutiya Devi.’

The Patna District Magistrate, Thiyagarajan, confirmed on Monday that the certificate was issued on July 24 at 3:56 p.m. and cancelled just two minutes later. “The matter is very serious. Some mischievous element has made such an attempt. The certificate was issued on July 24 at 3.56 pm and was immediately cancelled within two minutes at 3.58 pm,” he stated.

The document, which lists the address as Kaulichak Mohalla, Ward No. 15, Masaurhi Municipal Council, quickly circulated on social media and has raised concerns about the vulnerability of Bihar’s public service platforms.

In response, the administration has launched disciplinary proceedings and filed an FIR. “Whoever is involved in this, FIR is being filed against them, and action is being taken against them. The process to suspend them is underway. Through the cyber police station, we are also trying to find out who did this and why such an application was filed. We will investigate and take action against all those who are behind this,” said the District Magistrate.

A Sub-Divisional Officer-level inquiry has been ordered, with instructions to submit a full report within 24 hours. “The Sub-Divisional Officer, Masaurhi, has been directed to conduct a detailed investigation of the entire matter and submit a report within 24 hours. Departmental and disciplinary action will be taken against the guilty employees and officers,” the administration stated.

Swaraj Party leader Yogendra Yadav criticized the incident and pointed to its potential impact on the credibility of official documentation used during the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. “See it with your own eyes! On July 24 in Bihar, a dog got a residence certificate issued. This is the same certificate that is being accepted in Bihar under SIR, while Aadhaar and ration cards are being called fake. Check the photo and name yourself:

'Dog Babu', father's name 'Kutta Babu', mother's name 'Kutiya Babu', and address - Kaulichak Mohalla, Ward Number 15, Masaurhi Municipal Council. The certificate number is BRCCO/2025/15933581,” Yadav posted on X.

The timing of the episode is particularly sensitive. The SIR drive, which concluded on July 25, reported a high 91.69 percent participation rate, with more than 7.24 crore electors submitting enumeration forms out of the 7.89 crore registered voters in the state.

The incident has exposed procedural gaps and raised broader concerns about digital oversight in essential governance systems.