Anand (Gujarat), Aug 26 (IANS): A fake marriage certificate racket has been busted in Gujarat's Anand district, which was operating for the past two to three years, officials said on Friday.

If a person was ready to pay a hefty amount for availing a marriage certificate, it was sent to the person's mobile phone.

After preliminary inquiry, a village panchayat secretary (Talati) has been suspended and a department probe has been initiated against the official.

Congress MLA from Sojitra Assembly constituency, Punambhai Parmar, told IANS, "During a coordination meeting in July, the issue was brought to the notice of the District Development Officer (DDO) that Talati Arvind Makwana has issued 1,470 marriage certificates from the Rela village panchayat, whereas the village's total population is 1,500. The DDO then instituted an inquiry against the Talati."

Makwana has issued marriage certificates in the names of teenagers as well as those living in other districts such as Mehsana, Ahmedabad and even as far as Mumbai.

A village panchayat secretary can issue such certificates only to the residents of the village.

He was issuing such certificates through agents, who used to bring clients for him, charging between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for a certificate, without proof of any wedding or any other evidence verifying the couple, Parmar alleged.