A 65-year-old Pakistani woman, residing in Uttar Pradesh's Etah district for the past 35 years has landed in trouble after she took up the post of 'officiating village head' and her credentials were disclosed.
Bano Begum came to India from Karachi, Pakistan, to be a part of the wedding of one of her relatives in the Etah district never to go back. She tied the knot with one Akhtar Ali and has been living here since then by getting her long-term visa extended time and again.
Adding more to the surprise, she also participated in the rural local body elections and got elected as a member of the village panchayat in 2015. Bano was made the acting village Pradhan in January.
After her identity got disclosed, the District Panchayati Raj Officer (DPRO) has ordered to lodge an FIR against the woman.
As per reports, the appointment of Bano Begum as officiating village head was brought to the notice of District Panchayati Raj Officer (DPRO) Alok Priyadarshi by a villager Quwaidan Khan on December 10, this year. The DPRO got it inquired by the local police.
On the other, after the probe, the police authorities found that she continued to be a Pakistani national but had procured her voter ID card and Aadhar Card through illegal means.
Priyadarshi directed the Gadau Gram Panchayat secretary Dhyan Singh to lodge a case against Bano Begum.
However, it was also revealed by the local people that after the demise of the then gram pradhan Shahnaz Begum, it was Dhyan Singh who had recommended the name of Bano Begum to officiate in place of Shahnaz. Now, he has also been shifted from Gudau village panchayat.
