A political row has erupted in Jharkhand over alleged illegal withdrawals from government treasuries in Hazaribagh and Bokaro, with the Opposition BJP demanding a probe by a central agency and the ruling JMM countering that the “irregularities” date back to the previous BJP government.
The scam first came to light this week at the Bokaro Treasury, where Rs 3.15 crore had allegedly been withdrawn over 20 months in the name of the salary of a police employee who retired in 2016. The Bokaro Deputy Commissioner subsequently ordered a probe.
During the probe, it was allegedly found that an accountant, Kaushal Pandey, with the Bokaro police department was behind the withdrawals into his wife’s account. Pandey has been arrested.
Similar claims also surfaced in Hazaribagh district, where illegal withdrawals of Rs 15 crore were allegedly found from the police treasury, later rising to nearly Rs 27 crore. Police have arrested five people, including three personnel, while the wives of two accused have also allegedly been found involved and sent to judicial custody.
Amid this, the state government announced a CID probe and, on April 10, the state’s Finance Minister, Radha Krishna Kishore, ordered a statewide probe into fake salary withdrawals from government treasuries.
However, the BJP called it a cover-up, as the CID falls under the state government.
Addressing a press conference Saturday, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo said this was another irony: the scam involving police staff would be investigated by the same police. “We oppose the government’s decision to hand over the case to the CID, as Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) at the district level are typically of ASP and DSP rank. These officers often form part of the CID as well, so how does it make sense to have them investigate a case in which their own cadre is under scrutiny? We want the CBI along with the ED to investigate the scam,” he said.
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BJP state spokesperson Ajay Sah called the case a “fodder scam part 2” and alleged the fraud was far more organised and complex than was being projected. He claimed the involvement of influential white-collar individuals could emerge if a fair and thorough investigation is conducted.
The BJP further alleged that, based on official figures so far, the scam in two districts alone is close to Rs 33 crore and, if probed across the state, “may turn out to be bigger than the infamous fodder scam (chara ghotala)”. The party also questioned the impartiality of a police-led probe into a case involving the police department itself and demanded a CBI investigation.
Referring to the Bokaro case, where accountant Pandey has been arrested, Sah said it was difficult to believe that a single employee could have carried out dozens of illegal withdrawals over months without higher-level protection. He also called for scrutiny of senior police officials, including those responsible for financial oversight at the district level.
Following these developments, the police headquarters has directed all districts and units to submit detailed investigation reports within a week after suspicious financial transactions were flagged in multiple offices.
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Responding to the BJP’s allegations, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha said the treasury irregularities were not new and traced their origins to the previous BJP government. Party spokesperson Vinod Pandey said the system that enabled such irregularities had developed during the Raghubar Das government, alleging a lack of transparency and accountability at the time.
The JMM maintained that the current Hemant Soren government is acting with zero tolerance towards corruption and has initiated action in the case. It asserted that no one would be spared, regardless of their influence, and that the law would take its course.
Amid growing tensions over the alleged treasury fraud, the Jharkhand Police Association has also demanded a high-level inquiry. Its president, Rahul Murmu, called for a thorough investigation, saying the issue could involve irregularities across multiple departments and should be probed comprehensively.
