Bokaro: The ₹3.15 crore treasury fraud in Bokaro has snowballed into a major administrative crackdown, with an FIR registered and a key accused arrested, as authorities move swiftly to unravel the scam.
Acting on the directions of Deputy Commissioner Ajay Nath Jha, Treasury Officer Gulab Chand Oraon lodged a late-night FIR at B.S. City Police Station after suspicious withdrawals under the salary head came under scrutiny.
The case surfaced following a local media report on April 6, 2026, triggering an urgent probe. Examination of treasury records and bank transactions revealed that funds withdrawn in the name of Sub-Inspector Upendra Singh between May 2024 and March 2026 were allegedly diverted into multiple bank accounts.
Investigators traced the money trail to Police Department accountant Kaushal Kumar Pandey, who is accused of routing the funds into his wife’s bank account. Pandey has been arrested, while efforts are underway to identify other beneficiaries and possible accomplices.
Earlier, a preliminary inquiry led by Additional Collector Md. Mumtaz Ansari had flagged serious procedural lapses, including repeated bill clearances, payroll manipulation, and discrepancies in official records—pointing to possible internal collusion.
Taking strong note of the findings, the Deputy Commissioner has ordered the immediate freezing of suspicious bank accounts, initiated departmental action, and sought a detailed report within 24 hours. The matter has also been referred to the state Finance Department for a high-level investigation.
The Bokaro Superintendent of Police has been directed to intensify the criminal probe, with officials asserting that no one involved will be spared.
The alleged misuse of the salary head—considered one of the most secure expenditure channels—has exposed glaring loopholes in treasury oversight, audit systems, and verification mechanisms.
With the Deputy Commissioner personally monitoring developments, the administration has begun tightening financial protocols, strengthening audit checks, and enhancing digital safeguards to prevent such frauds in the future.
The unfolding scam has sent shockwaves across administrative circles, with authorities adopting a zero-tolerance stance against corruption and financial misconduct.
Briefing the media, Bokaro Superintendent of Police Harwinder Singh confirmed that police have arrested Kaushal Pandey, an accountant in the Police Department, in connection with the fraudulent withdrawal of ₹3.15 crore from the district treasury under the salary head. He was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody early this morning.
The SP stated that preliminary investigation indicates Pandey acted in collusion with others, allegedly diverting the funds into the bank account of his wife, Anu Pandey. Investigators also found that the name of a retired Sub-Inspector, Upendra Singh, was misused to facilitate the fraudulent withdrawals.
Sources within the administration, however, have raised serious doubts over the possibility of a single individual executing such a large-scale fraud. Officials pointed out that salary disbursement involves multiple layers of verification—from preparation of the master roll at Police Lines to approvals by the Salary Disbursing Officer, typically the Headquarters DSP, before funds are released by the treasury.
Given these procedural safeguards, authorities believe the scam may have wider ramifications. A comprehensive, high-level investigation is now being seen as crucial, with the involvement of additional officials or beneficiaries not being ruled out.
