Kohima: While the internet era has made it easier to disseminate information and stories that inspire us, it has also made the lives of frauds that much more difficult. The scientific community in Nagaland was left in a state of unease following the emergence of a fraudulent claim by an individual posing as a soil scientist.
This development comes after EastMojo recently exposed that the individual had no hand in contributing to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology as claimed.
With the confirmation of the fake ISRO letter commending one Belenso T Yimchunger for his contribution towards the RLV launch, there was a need to authenticate his claim as a soil scientist, and how he received the title of being a ‘doctor’.
Soon, a letter containing a list of innovators, naming Belenso among 15 people, emerged. The letter can be traced back to the end of 2023 as it mentioned that selected candidates must produce “original scan documents” to www.iitee.com on or before December 15.
Intriguingly, the list also carried the name of the India Science, Technology and Innovation (ISTI) on the top, and a mention of the recruitment cell of the IIT Delhi.
When EastMojo contacted the Department of Science and Technology (DST), a scientist informed that “there is no such organisation in the name of India Science, Technology and Innovation”. The scientist also highlighted a discrepancy between the header, which mentioned ISTI, and the footer, which mentioned IIT Delhi.
While EastMojo could not independently verify the authenticity of the letter from IIT Delhi or ISTI, a science scholar residing outside the state of Nagaland reached out with a response from IIT Delhi on Friday.
The scholar, on condition of anonymity, revealed that after several attempts, the IIT Delhi Registrar’s Office confirmed that the letter does not pertain to the Recruitment Cell of the institute. Screenshots of the conversation between the scholar and the registrar over email remain in the possession of EastMojo.
The IIT Delhi’s response quashes the false credentials of Belenso as a soil scientist. Regarding how he was referred to as ‘Dr’, a spokesperson on behalf of Belenso responded by saying that he was tricked into believing that he was conferred an honorary doctorate.
Reacting to the developments, the scholar said, “For me, science is sacred because it is my dedication and devotion to God. I try to understand the mind of God through my work, and someone claiming to be a scientist is equivalent to someone claiming to be a prophet. What a prophet is to religion, a scientist is to science, that is why I am angry because I feel that what I hold sacred has been violated.”
Explaining scientific ethics, the scholar emphasised the process of conducting research, publishing journals, getting through peer review and other steps that are crucial for establishing the authenticity of scientific contributions. In addition, the scholar also highlighted the challenging journey to becoming a scientist, noting it as a distinct narrative in itself.
The scholar strongly disapproved of the fraudulent claims, describing them as an “insult” to the science community. Asked if Belenso could have been tricked into believing he was a scientist and that he contributed to ISRO projects, the scholar opined that this situation was unlikely.
Following the controversy surrounding the fabricated ISRO letter, old videos and news reports featuring Belenso’s projects have resurfaced. Local news reports from 2022 and 2023 highlighted the works of the student who was involved in projects such as TIGER, a voice-activated light control system, and Pungro Power Soil, which converts soil into electricity, despite his educational background primarily in arts, having cleared his HSSLC from the Pungro GHSS under the Kiphire district.
Reacting to these projects, the scholar remarked, “These are not innovations or inventions but science projects typical of high school students. Science and engineering students can easily dissect the formulas behind these works.”
Likewise, a research scholar from Nagaland echoed similar sentiments. “Those were DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. Had he been a science student, he would have known what innovation, invention and discovery mean,” the scholar said.
As Belenso gained attention through a certain section of the media which glorified him as a scientist and for his projects, the scholar expressed concern on ethical reporting as it creates an unhealthy environment among science news consumers.
“To become a scientist, educational qualification in science is the basic. One has to complete a Masters in Science (MSc), or PhD, or appear in relevant exams. I searched for his research works but found nothing,” the scholar said.
With an open-ended opinion, the scholar remarked, “He is either being misled by someone or trying to fool people.”
In January this year, the Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC), the apex tribal body of the Yimkhiung Naga tribe (erstwhile Yimchunger), awarded the Yimkhiung Outstanding Achievement Award to Belenso for being the “first Yimkhiung Scientist” and for being selected as a “Soil Scientist under India Science Technology and Innovation, Government of India”.
He was feted during the tribe’s Tsungkamnyo cum Mini Hornbill Festival celebration at the Yimkhiung Heritage Village Mundun which was graced by Advisor Youth Resources & Sports, S Keoshu Yimkhiung, as the special guest and host.
When EastMojo reached out to the YTC, an official informed that the tribal body is yet to authenticate the matter with Belenso due to his health conditions. Considering the issue’s sensitivity, the YTC leaders are likely to issue an official statement in a few days after a conversation with Belenso.
Notably, when EastMojo reported the fake ISRO letter, Belenso responded by saying that he had realised he was being framed as he discovered the fake letter. He also said that all mail exchanged with his point of contact at ISRO was “taken down” and that he could not “retrieve it”.
EastMojo consulted an IT expert who clarified that once an email has been sent, the sender generally cannot delete it from the recipient’s mailbox. While some tools allow for email recall attempts, these are typically ineffective once the recipient has accessed the email.
EastMojo also sought insights from a police officer to determine if this situation could constitute a job scam. The officer explained that the nature of the incident can only be ascertained after a formal complaint is lodged and subsequent investigation is undertaken. At the time of filing this report, Beleno was yet to file an official complaint, even though in a previous conversation with EastMojo he had said he was considering filing a complaint.
The officer explained that generally, in job scams, the primary objective of the scammer is to deceive individuals for monetary gain. The officer also indicated instances where a person can be considered both a victim and an accused depending on the nature of the case.
Meanwhile, an old interview of Belenso with Nagaland Tribune, a local news portal, revealed that he claimed to have used uniforms from different schools to attend their classes as a child, driven by a desire to learn as much as possible.
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He had described his childhood as “crazy,” mentioning he was eventually expelled when teachers discovered his actions. However, a resident who knew Belenso as a student denied these claims.
Interestingly, there were also speculations among locals that Belenso received protection from security personnel. PRO Defence Kohima could not be reached at the time of filing this report. However, an Assam Rifles (AR) official, when contacted, denied this claim, stating that security protection is not provided to individuals unless the administration requests it for a VIP during official visits.
The article was updated with inputs received from the Department of Science and Technology.
Also Read | No, a Naga electrician’s son did not ‘help’ ISRO: Here are the details
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