Ranchi, May 15: Babulal Marandi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, has once again urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to initiate a CBI investigation into the state’s treasury scam. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Marandi expressed concern that despite his previous correspondence a month ago, the state government has yet to take any concrete action.
Marandi warned that if the matter is not addressed promptly, Jharkhand could face a situation similar to the Bihar fodder scam, which implicated both officials and responsible individuals within the government. He asserted that this case represents not just financial irregularities, but a widespread organized economic crime across the state.
The letter highlighted that approximately ₹130 crores have been illegally withdrawn from treasury offices in around 14 districts, including Hazaribagh, Bokaro, Palamu, Garhwa, Ranchi, Gumla, Deoghar, Jamshedpur, and Sahibganj. Initially thought to be limited to Bokaro and Hazaribagh, the investigation has revealed irregularities in several other districts as well. Marandi noted that the rapid emergence of new cases raises concerns about the potential scale of the scam.
The letter also questioned the identification of Kaushal Pandey, a clerk arrested in Bokaro, as the main accused. Marandi argued that the complexity of tampering with the e-Kuber system and facilitating the illegal withdrawal of millions cannot be attributed to a single individual. He has called for an impartial investigation into the roles of officials at the DSP level in Bokaro.
Additionally, Marandi referenced the Hazaribagh treasury case, alleging that some police personnel misused accounts opened in the names of deceased officers’ dependents for illegal withdrawals, transferring funds to relatives and acquaintances.
He emphasized that the responsibility for monitoring treasury withdrawals lies with district-level DDOs and police superintendents, making a thorough investigation into the roles of DSPs and SPs essential. Marandi has also demanded an inquiry into the role of the Jharkhand government agency JAP-IT to uncover any alleged technical manipulations.
In his letter, he cited previous instances of alleged illegal withdrawals in the energy, road construction, and drinking water and sanitation departments, expressing concern over the systematic looting of government funds in the state.
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