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An alleged scam in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district has shocked the authorities as well as the common public. Apparently, a recent Revenue and Accounts Department audit reveals that 47 persons were alleged as dead 280 times, and death claims were lodged to avail relief funds as natural calamity payments-most of these under the pretense of snake-bite deaths.
The result? In a departmental audit conducted in November 2022, another huge scandal regarding the misappropriation of ₹11.26 crores of government funds was uncovered.
The Case: Fake Deaths, Real Money
The officials found out that with every fake death report, a sum of ₹4 lakhs was sanctioned to be compensated to the victim's family. Such funds were diverted through forged documents-mostly in the absence of any death certificate or post-mortem report.
Take, for instance, Dwarka Bai, who allegedly died 29 times from a snake bite, with ₹1.16 crore claimed in her name alone. Another case involved Shri Ram, who was declared dead 28 times for similar compensation.
The relief amount is given to the kin of people who died of snake bite or drowning. After investigation, we found that Rs 11 crore 26 Lakh has been misappropriated and sent to the accounts of 47 people.
Rohit Singh Kaushal, Investigation Officer, Treasury and Accounts Department
Cracking Down on the Scam
So far, 37 individuals have been implicated, and 21 arrests have been made, including the suspected mastermind. The main accused, Sachin Dahayat, a clerk at Keolari Tehsil Office, allegedly orchestrated the operation by fabricating deaths caused by snake bites, lightning, and drowning between 2019 and 2022.
He is accused of funneling the money into the bank accounts of his relatives and close contacts. Authorities have confirmed that he has been dismissed from service.
Officials Under Scrutiny
The scam has also brought senior officials under the radar. The investigation report recommends legal action against SDM Amit Singh Bamroliya and four tehsildars who served in Keolari during the scam period.
District Magistrate Sanskriti Jain confirmed that the case, filed under multiple fraud and corruption charges, has been fully investigated and submitted to the state government and Seoni Collector for further action.
"Between the years 2019 and 2022, a clerk, Sachin Dahayat in Keolari tehsil had transferred money in many RBC 64 cases to other accounts. This was reported to be a scam of 11 crore 26 lakhs, which was duly investigated. An investigation report has been submitted by the Finance Department now," said Sanskriti Jain, District Magistrate of Seoni.
Mystery Still Looms: Are the Victims Even Real?
Investigation Officer Rohit Singh Kaushal raised a chilling concern:
"It is still unknown whether the people against whose names the amounts were sanctioned using fake documents are actually dead or alive, as post-mortem reports and death certificates have not been provided despite repeated requests. We have sent the investigation report to the government and the Seoni collector," Rohit Singh Kaushal, Investigation Officer, Treasury and Accounts Department.
This ongoing uncertainty further underscores the need for stronger checks and balances in relief fund disbursements.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Muhammad Faisal Arshad/MSM)
