MP News: ED Conducts Searches In Bhopal, Vidisha, Katni And Chhatarpur Districts

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhopal, had conducted search operations across seven locations in Bhopal, Vidisha, Katni, and Chhatarpur districts in connection with Rs 30 crore financial fraud in MP government’s Marriage Assistance Scheme on October 3, said officials on Tuesday.

The raids were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting Shobhit Tripathi, former CEO of Janpad Panchayat Sironj, and his alleged accomplices, ED officials stated.

The ED's investigation stems from an FIR filed by the Economic Offences Wing, Bhopal, under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Tripathi. He is accused of orchestrating a massive embezzlement of approximately Rs 30.18 crore through the Madhya Pradesh government's Marriage Assistance Scheme between 2019 and November 2021.

The searches led to the seizure of incriminating documents, digital devices, and the freezing of bank accounts and mutual funds worth Rs 21.7 lakh linked to Tripathi and others, said officials.

The scheme, designed to support the families of registered construction workers, was allegedly exploited by Tripathi and data entry operators Yogendra Sharma and Hemant Sahu.

According to ED findings, the three fabricated documents and uploaded fraudulent data to the government portal, enabling the transfer of funds to ineligible beneficiaries.

These funds were then withdrawn in multiple tranches via ATMs and funnelled into accounts belonging to Tripathi, his family members, and associated entities.

To mask the illicit origins of the money, Tripathi reportedly layered the proceeds through relatives' bank accounts and business concerns, projecting them as legitimate income.

The laundered funds were used for personal expenditures, investments in the stock market and mutual funds, and the acquisition of immovable properties.

This case highlights the vulnerabilities in welfare schemes and the need for robust digital safeguards, said officials.

[Story by Staff Reporter]