A case that initially appeared to be an administrative lapse has taken an unexpected turn in Bengaluru, revealing a deeper layer of fraud involving official records, hospital procedures and welfare benefits.
The incident came to light after a 39-year-old Bengaluru resident, Mehboob Basha, discovered that a death certificate had been issued in his name despite him being alive. According to records, the certificate stated that Basha had died on April 23, 2025, and was issued by the birth and death registrar in Chickpet, Bengaluru.
The development had immediate consequences, with Basha’s BPL card being cancelled following the issuance of the death certificate. Shocked by the situation, he approached the court seeking cancellation of the document.
Court Intervention and Probe
After hearing the petition, the court directed authorities to cancel the death certificate. What initially appeared to be a possible error by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) now GBA (Greater Bengaluru Authority), has now been found to be the result of deliberate fraud.
A subsequent inquiry by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) revealed that the incident was not due to an administrative mistake, but linked to actions taken by Basha’s wife, Shabana.
Fraud at Hospital
Investigations have found that Shabana allegedly used her husband’s BPL card and personal documents to admit another individual for treatment at Kidwai Cancer Hospital. The unidentified patient was admitted using Basha’s details, including his name and records.
The patient later died on April 23, 2025, after failed treatment. As all hospital records were in Mehboob Basha’s name, the death was officially recorded under his identity. Based on these documents, both the hospital and BBMP issued a death certificate in Basha’s name.
Authorities said that Shabana signed documents as the wife and collected the body of the deceased from the hospital, further reinforcing the mistaken identity.
BBMP Shocked, Probe Continues
Officials stated that the death certificate was issued based on the documents provided at the time, and the truth only emerged after the investigation began. The case has raised questions about verification processes at both hospital and civic levels.
Further investigation is underway into the alleged fraud, including the use of a BPL card to access medical benefits. Authorities are also examining whether any officials were negligent or complicit in the process.
There is also a very important unanswered question: “Who was the other person?”. Further investigations are yet to reveal patient’s relationship with Shabana and why she did what she did.
The case has highlighted how misuse of identity documents can lead to serious administrative and legal consequences, while also exposing gaps in verification systems that are now under scrutiny.
Reported By: Pragathi Shetty, News18 Kannada, Bengaluru
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