Forum seeks CBI probe against minister over 'fake' SC certificate

Bengaluru: Alleging that Fisheries Minister Mankal Vaidya had reportedly used a fake SC caste certificate to contest in a Zilla Panchayat (ZP) election in 2007, a Bhatkal-based forum has urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to recommend a CBI probe into the case.

“There are two communities by the name Moger. While one community involved in rabbit-hunting is considered ‘untouchable,’ the other is a community into fishing that falls under Category 1 amongst OBCs. Vaidya belongs to the OBC Moger community but claimed to be an SC Moger and contested the polls in 2007 for the ZP vice-president’s post,” the Karnataka SC and ST Reservation Protection Forum Bhatkal, mentioned in the note.