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Chitrakoot pension scam: More skeletons tumble out, ₹13.20-cr payout to deceased surfaces
According to the SIT, pensioners Shiv Prasad, Ramkhilawan, Rajendra Kumar, and Girijesh Kumari had all died in 2018. Despite death certificates being on record, their files were reactivated and payments were made to their accounts. The largest amount ( ₹3.97 crore) was transferred to Shiv Prasad’s account, followed by Ramkhilawan ( ₹3.59 crore), Rajendra Kumar ( ₹3.45 crore), and Girijesh Kumari ( ₹2.20 crore).
More skeletons are tumbling out as the investigation into the alleged ₹42.04-crore pension scam in Chitrakoot progresses. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case has found that pension files of four deceased beneficiaries were reactivated, leading to transfers of ₹13.20 crore into their accounts, officials said.
This case comes after the X-ray technician scam in September and nursing recruitment scam in Ballia in February, wherein crores of rupees were siphoned off from the state exchequer.
The SIT, headed by Chitrakoot circle officer (city) Arvind Kumar Verma, is investigating the scam that allegedly took place from the district treasury between August 30, 2018, and October 6, 2025. The probe began after senior treasury officer Ramesh Singh lodged an FIR on October 17 against four officials for alleged irregularities.
Those named in the FIR include former assistant treasury accountant Sandeep Kumar Srivastava, treasury accountant Ashok Kumar, assistant treasurer Vikas Singh Sachan, and retired assistant treasurer Awadesh Pratap Singh, along with 93 pensioners and family pensioners. Srivastava died on October 20, reportedly of a heart attack, two days after police began questioning him.
According to the SIT, pensioners Shiv Prasad, Ramkhilawan, Rajendra Kumar, and Girijesh Kumari had all died in 2018. Despite death certificates being on record, their files were reactivated and payments were made to their accounts. The largest amount ( ₹3.97 crore) was transferred to Shiv Prasad’s account, followed by Ramkhilawan ( ₹3.59 crore), Rajendra Kumar ( ₹3.45 crore), and Girijesh Kumari ( ₹2.20 crore).
Officials said negligence on the part of certain senior officers had also come to light and their roles were being scrutinised.
“The SIT has initiated recovery from the 93 pensioners’ accounts where irregular payments were made. So far, 12 pensioners have returned ₹49.18 lakh to the treasury,” superintendent of police Arun Kumar Singh said on Friday night.
“Of the 93 pensioners involved, 52 belong to the basic education department, 22 to secondary education, and 19 are retired employees of other departments,” he added.
The SP said statements of 12 individuals had been recorded, though no arrests had been made yet. All named accused would face trial, he added, noting that those who return misappropriated funds may receive leniency from the court.
According to the FIR, a team from the Office of the Accountant General (Audit and Entitlement), Prayagraj, had conducted an audit on October 6, uncovering unauthorised pension payments. An internal inquiry later confirmed that treasury officials had manipulated pension records to divert funds amounting to several crore.
The SP said the SIT was examining the case in detail and that arrests were likely soon.
OTHER SCAMS:
Earlier in February, investigations revealed a staff nurse recruitment racket in which fake appointment letters were used to install unqualified candidates, prompting scrutiny of over 5,000 nurse recruitments between 2019 and 2025.
Meanwhile, another scandal in the health department in September exposed how six individuals used the same identity (Arpit Singh) to draw government salaries as X-ray technicians across six districts for nearly nine years, with the probe now extended to 61 further fake appointments in 30 districts.
