In a significant anti-corruption move, the Madhya Pradesh government suspended a treasury officer in Guna district for irregularities in stamp sales, causing a loss of Rs 2.70 crore to the exchequer. The suspension followed an FIR against Keshav Verma, an assistant grade-III cashier, under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Verma is accused of issuing various stamps without recording the transactions, leading to the financial loss.
The case against Verma was initiated based on a recommendation by district treasury officer Rakesh Kumar, with charges including criminal breach of trust by a public servant and criminal misconduct. An inspection in December revealed discrepancies between the recorded stock on the IFMIS portal and the actual stock, prompting the action against Verma. The accused allegedly violated rules by embezzling e-stamps between 2018 and 2025, bypassing established procedures.
Following the inspection, it was found that Verma issued stamps to vendors without proper documentation or approvals. The IFMIS system requirements for online approval were allegedly ignored, allowing unauthorized stamp transfers. The department highlighted the absence of mandatory registers and acknowledgements as per the Madhya Pradesh Treasury Code, 2020, indicating a lack of adherence to prescribed protocols in stamp issuance.
