HC quashes Adilabad Collector orders

Hyderabad,Oct 22:  The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday quashed the Adilabad Collector orders, who cancelled the caste certificate of Khanapur (ST) legislator Ms Suman Rathod declaring the MLA resorted to fraudulent means to obtain it.It may be recalled that the caste certificate of Ms Suman Rathod came under investigation following complaints that it was obtained through fraudulent means.The complainant alleged that she was not a member of the Lambada Scheduled Tribe because she was born in Maharashtra where the Lambadas came under the backward classes.After conducting inquiry, Adilabad Collector Ahmad Nadeem cancelled the caste certificate of Suman Rathod.

This development makes the legislator liable to lose her membership of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.Ms Rathod, who is wife of Adilabad MP Ramesh Rathod, had contested two elections from this constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes.The MLA contended that she had submitted proof of residence through witnesses to the Utnoor Tahsildar following which she was issued the certificate. Her status as a member of ST community therefore was true, she added.