A fresh case of fraudulent withdrawal has been discovered in Jharkhand, this time in Ranchi, following similar incidents in Hazaribagh and Bokaro. Approximately Rs 3 crore has been allegedly siphoned off from the state capital treasury, with two employees from the Institute of Animal Health and Production in Kanke accused of manipulating salary accounts for embezzlement. Acting on the Deputy Commissioner’s orders, Executive Magistrate Md. Zafar Hasnat filed an FIR at Kotwali police station, leading to the swift detention of the accused employees.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the institute’s accountant, Munindra Kumar, and staff member Sanjeev Kumar collaborated to carry out the fraud. Munindra Kumar reportedly diverted Rs 1.52 crore into his bank accounts, while Sanjeev Kumar transferred Rs 1.41 crore to his account through illicit transactions. The duo allegedly tampered with salary bills on the ‘Kuber portal’ between the financial years 2023–24 and 2025–26, inflating figures to withdraw amounts exceeding permissible limits from the district treasury.
An investigation report spanning 67 pages, submitted on April 13, contains documentary evidence indicating a premeditated scheme by the accused to bypass government norms and embezzle crores. The Executive Magistrate, in his complaint, has demanded stringent legal action against the accused for fraud and misappropriation of public funds. This case adds to a series of treasury-related scams in Jharkhand, with the state government now ordering a comprehensive audit of all 33 treasuries and sub-treasuries amid concerns that irregular withdrawals across the state could surpass Rs 50 crore.
Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore has labeled these incidents as a significant failure in administrative oversight and has instructed Deputy Commissioners to implement stricter financial controls and ensure thorough audits.
