Mangalore : There is an allegation that one Gokuldas who had won from Ward 15 in Sullia Town Panchayat elections recently, had secured a ticket by producing a fake caste certificate.

This allegation was hurled by Bhanuchandra Krishnapura, President of the Bharatha Rathna Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Samaja Seva Sangha of Bantwal Taluk. He says the ward was reserved for an SC candidate and that Gokuldas who actually does not belong to an SC category, had filed his nomination with a forged caste certificate. He also pointed out that the winning member did not hail from the district. He said Gokuldas’s caste certificate states that he belonged to Manne caste and that this caste people are not in the district. He alleged that the election officials approved his nomination without verification.

He alleged that by doing so Gokuldas has deprived a rightful member of the SC community from contesting the elections and winning. He said a complaint has been lodged with the DC, CEC of Karnataka demanding a thorough probe.