Sunday Newsline obtained the copy of a certificate stating Sabitaben, the sarpanch of Vena village in Santrampur taluka as a member of Hindu Baria clan. The certificate states that Sabitaben was born in Juna Talav village on January 15, 1960. Another certificate signed by the Taluka Development Officer states her to be a member of the tribal Bhil community. Elsewhere, her husband Baldevsinh Pagi's school certificate explicitly states that he is not a member of any backward community.

"Ours is a reserved seat, reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. However, the incumbent sarpanch Sabitaben, who is a non-tribal has obtained a ST certificate and has become the sarpanch, said Shankarbhai, the husband of the deputy sarpanch of Vena village.

"They become the sarpanch of the tribal village with these certificates, but do nothing for the development of the village," he said.

The former Sarpanch of the village, Dr Z R Padaria too complained of the malpractice. "We had tried to sort out this issue after the elections, but somehow, things did not materialise," he said.

Interestingly, even Padaria too is a non-tribal, who enjoyed the status of sarpanch in a tribal village prior to Sabitaben assuming the chair. However, when confronted with this question, he cited all the documents he had, to prove his tribal status.

"Not only in Vena, there are several such cases where a non-tribal has obtained a ST certificate and has become the sarpanch of a tribal village," said Hirabhai Naik, the district president of the Gramin Mazdoor Sabha Gujarat. "Most of such cases surface from the Santraqmpur taluka," he said. Reportedly the sarpanch of villages like Satkunda, Panchmua and Ramvem ni Muada have also submitted fake tribal certificates.