Viral 'Dog Babu' residence certificate cancelled; Patna authorities investigate breach amid SIR row

A bizarre residence certificate emerged online recently from Patna in Bihar, issued in the name of ‘Dog Babu’. The residence certificate was issued by Bihar’s RTPS portal of the Masauhri Zone office. The certificate even contained a portrait photograph of a golden retriever and had an official digital signature of Revenue Officer Murari Chauhan along with his name.

The certificate has emerged under the ongoing controversy and complications surrounding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row in Bihar.

The official certificate even contained the dog’s details, such as his father's name given as ‘Kutta Babu’ and his mother ‘Kutiya Devi.’ The address was listed as Mohalla Kaulichak, Ward No. 15, Nagar Parishad Masaurhi of District Patna, Bihar. The dog’s certificate number was listed as BRCCO/2025/15933581.

Officials from the District Administration of Patna said an FIR has been registered against the applicant, the computer operator and the official who issued the certificate. The certificate has now been cancelled. "It will be probed as to how the dongle of the revenue officer was misused. An investigation has already been ordered, and further action will be taken against those involved," Circle officer Prabhat Ranjan said to ETV Bharat.

A formal investigation has been initiated since officials suspect a breach or misuse of credentials from a secure government-issued dongle. The incident has exposed potential vulnerabilities in the system that is used to issue essential documents after Aadhaar and voter ID verification.

Authorities eventually discovered that the documents that were uploaded in support of Dog Babu’s certificate belonged to a woman and her husband in Delhi.

Officials suspect that someone may have gained unauthorised access to the government portal and manipulated the details, according to the Free Press Journal.

Online reactions to the certificate varied. Some users expressed their concern about the treatment of voters in the state while others were amused.

India