Sant Kabir Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 27 (IANS): A case of cheating and forgery has been registered on orders of the court against BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel of Mehdawal and Sant Kabir Nagar chief medical officer (CMO) Dr. Hargovind Singh for producing a fake Covid report.

The case was registered on Saturday at the Kotwali police station.

As per an order of additional sessions judge, MP/MLA court, Deepkant Mani, the MLA presented a fake Covid positive report when asked about his absence in another case under the court's jurisdiction. The court proceedings are not moving ahead in the case as the MLA has not appeared in the court since the past four years.

When the court summoned him, he presented a fake Covid report, the order said.

The CMO report submitted before the court said the MLA went into home isolation after a private test for Covid. However, home isolation team member Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava told the court that during home isolation, the MLA was not present at home and was also not reachable on phone.

Manoj Kumar Pandey, in-charge of the Khalilabad Kotwali, said, "A case under Sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document or electronic record) of IPC, has been registered against MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel and CMO Dr. Hargovind Singh on court's order."