Ranchi, May 14: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an investigation into a massive fraud involving fake salary withdrawals from state treasuries in Jharkhand. The agency has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) to delve deeper into the matter. Previously, the investigation was being conducted by the Jharkhand CID and a special investigation team formed by the state government.
With the ED’s involvement, the situation for several officials and employees may worsen. This case is linked to suspicious withdrawals from the treasuries in Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Bokaro. Based on the FIRs filed in these cases, the ED has begun a probe focusing on potential money laundering.
Investigators suspect that funds were illicitly withdrawn from the government treasury, with some amounts later returned. Notably, several officials, including those at the DSP rank, have been implicated. So far, police and the SIT have arrested 12 individuals. Among those arrested in the Ranchi case are Munindra Kumar, an accountant from the Animal Husbandry Department, and his associate Sanjeev Kumar.
The investigation revealed that Munindra Kumar falsely reported his basic salary as ₹20 lakh to facilitate the fraudulent withdrawal. In the Hazaribagh case, individuals including Saurabh Singh, Rajneesh Kumar Singh, Shambhu Kumar, Kajal Kumari, Khushboo Singh, and Dheerendra Singh have been arrested. In the Bokaro treasury case, Kaushal Pandey, Satish Kumar Singh, and Kajal Mandal have been sent to jail. Additionally, Sabita Kumari was arrested in connection with suspicious withdrawals linked to health workers from the Deoghar treasury.
This entire scheme came to light when the Principal Accountant General (AG), Chandramouli Singh, detected discrepancies during a treasury audit in the police department. Initial investigations uncovered suspicious withdrawals from the Bokaro and Hazaribagh treasuries. Following this, the state government initiated inquiries across all districts and formed a high-level committee led by Amitabh Kaushal, the Principal Secretary of the Excise Department. This committee is currently examining documents related to the Bokaro treasury.
Subsequently, the Principal AG submitted another report to the government, indicating potential irregularities in 12 treasuries across Jharkhand. The report also mentioned fraudulent withdrawals in the health and education departments. In response, the finance department directed districts to conduct detailed investigations. The state government has already established an SIT for this case. With the ED’s investigation underway, efforts will focus on tracing the flow of funds, identifying beneficiaries, and uncovering the entire network involved in this fraud.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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