A formal complaint has been lodged with the Bhadradri Kothagudem District Collector by NGO watchdog, Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), alleging that three Christian pastors in Yellandu Mandal are fraudulently holding Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates in violation of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The organization has sought immediate cancellation of these certificates, as well as criminal and departmental action against both the beneficiaries and officials involved in their issuance.
Lodged complaint with the District Collector, Bhadradri Kothagudem @Collector_BDD seeking cancellation of illegal SC certificates held by Christian Pastors and action against officials who issued them, violating the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. https://t.co/rERi0Kls4c
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) July 21, 2025
The complaint names Muppalla Poul Dhinakar (40), Ubbani Laxmaiah (64), and Ginnarapu Jacob (45), all residents of Yellandu Mandal, who are reportedly active members of the Yellandu Mandal Pastors Fellowship. According to LRPF, these individuals have been openly professing Christianity and engaging in evangelical activities, including distributing religious pamphlets and Bibles, while simultaneously availing benefits reserved for Scheduled Castes.
It is noteworthy that one of the pastors, Muppalla Poul Dhinakar, filed an FIR with the Yellandu Police on 18 July 2025 in which he explicitly declared his identity as a Christian Pastor. In the complaint, Dhinakar stated that on 17 July 2025, he and his church members were distributing gospel pamphlets in the 21 Pit area of Yellandu when they were allegedly attacked by a group of ten individuals. The assailants reportedly tore and burned the pamphlets and Bibles, hurled caste- and religion-based insults, and attempted to incite communal disharmony.
The FIR was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 189(2), 126, 191, 196, 299, 307, and 326, along with Sections 3(1)(r)(s) and 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Those named in the FIR include Narasimha Reddy, Janakiram, Prashanth, Ramesh, Rajath Kumar, Satish Kumar, Sandeep, Pawan, Akhil, and Jayaprakash.
While the complaint was initially filed to report the alleged assault, LRPF has pointed out that the pastors’ own admission of their religious identity in the FIR establishes that they are ineligible for SC status under Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which excludes persons professing any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism from being considered Scheduled Castes.
The complaint also referenced a 2019 circular (No. 12017/02/2018-SCD (R.L. Cell)) from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, directing states to cancel such caste certificates and take legal action against both the holders and the issuing officials.
Calling the case a “serious systemic failure,” LRPF demanded retrospective cancellation of the certificates and prosecution of the beneficiaries for alleged offences such as cheating, forgery, and fraud under BNS provisions. They also urged disciplinary action against the revenue and welfare officials involved.
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