By IANS
Lucknow : A Samajwadi Party MP from Uttar Pradesh faked a caste certificate to contest the 2004 Lok Sabha elections as a scheduled caste candidate, state election officials said Monday.
Shankh Lal Majhi got elected in 2004 from Ambedkar Nagar, a seat earlier held by Bahujan Samaj Party chief and Uttar Pradesh chief Minister Mayawati.
According to a spokesman of the state election office, "Prima facie, Majhi submitted a fake certificate before the returning officer of the reserved constituency in his bid to prove that he was a scheduled caste when he actually belonged to the backward caste."
Majhi's estranged wife had lodged a complaint against him.
The errant MP was not available for comment. However, authorities said Majhi could not only lose his Lok Sabha membership but also face severe punishment for what was termed as a "criminal act".
"It is extremely unusual for any politician to fake his caste certificate since his surname easily identifies the caste to which he belongs. It is really shocking that someone not only attempted but also succeeded in faking his caste to become an MP," said a senior official of the state election office.