A woman working as senior clerk in the tribal-dominated Malkangiri district was sacked after an inquiry revealed that she got the job by producing fake caste certificates.

The woman, who had submitted a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate to get the job, was in service for the past 24 years. She was not only drawing salary but also availing herself of other financial benefits of government employees.

Sources said the accused Laxmipriya Behera, who belongs to the socially and educationally backward classes, had married an ST man. Later, she obtained the ST certificate using her husband’s identity. The authorities had failed to make proper inquiry into her case at the time of appointment.

But some people who knew about it had filed a petition challenging her appointment on the ground that she had got the job by producing fake certificates. Later, a probe was conducted by the southern division revenue commissioner. Based on the report, Malkangiri collector Y. Vijay dismissed her from the job.