HYDRAA Chief's Signature Forged on 52 Fire NOCs

A large-scale forgery of Fire No Objection Certificates (NOCs) submitted by junior colleges has come to light in Hyderabad after the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) uncovered 52 fake certificates, including several carrying the forged signature of HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath. Officials have described the incident as a serious breach of public trust and initiated both administrative and legal action.

The fraud was detected during a phased verification exercise of Fire NOCs submitted by junior college managements for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic years. HYDRA examined 142 certificates received from institutions within the Telangana Core Urban Region (TCUR). While 90 certificates were authenticated as genuine, the remaining 52 were found to be forged or fabricated after being matched with official records.

The verification was carried out in two stages. During the first phase, HYDRA scrutinised 76 Fire NOCs forwarded by District Intermediate Education Officers from Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts, identifying seven forged documents. In the second phase, officials examined another 66 certificates, of which 45 were found to be fake, taking the total number of forged NOCs to 52.

Authorities said the alleged forgery involved the counterfeiting of the Commissioner's signature, raising concerns over the misuse of official documents during the college affiliation process. Fire NOCs are a mandatory requirement for educational institutions, certifying that campus buildings comply with prescribed fire safety standards before they are granted recognition or affiliation.

Following the findings, HYDRA has written to the Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE), seeking complete details of the certificates submitted by colleges and recommending action against institutions that furnished forged documents. The agency had also lodged a formal complaint with the Lake Police Station at Necklace Road on July 4, requesting a criminal investigation into the forgery.

In addition to pursuing legal action, HYDRAA has convened a special awareness meeting with representatives of schools, colleges, hospitals and commercial establishments. Officials issued fresh guidelines on the issuance, authentication and verification of Fire NOCs, urging institutions to rely only on official channels for obtaining safety clearances.

Officials reiterated that forging government documents and impersonating public authorities are serious criminal offences under Indian law and warned that all those involved, including any intermediaries or institutions found complicit, would face strict legal consequences. The case has also prompted authorities to tighten scrutiny of fire safety certifications, reinforcing the need for stronger verification mechanisms to ensure that educational institutions meet essential safety norms before admitting students.