The Bihar education department has suspended two senior officials in Bhagalpur over alleged fraudulent salary payments worth more than ₹98 lakh to a fictitious teacher. The action followed an inquiry by the district administration into suspected irregularities in the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) portal.
Who Has Been Suspended?
Bhagalpur District Education Officer (DEO) Chandan Kumar and District Programme Officer (DPO), Establishment, Shashi Chandan Chaudhary have been suspended in connection with the alleged salary fraud.
Vijay Kumar Pandey, director of administration in the education department, issued the suspension orders following an inquiry report submitted by Bhagalpur District Magistrate Alankrita Pandey.
The departmental action followed allegations concerning salary payments made through the HRMS portal in the name of a purported teacher in Sultanganj block.
How Was the ₹98 Lakh Fraud Carried Out?
According to the allegations, Avinash Raj, a computer operator working on contract in the education department’s establishment branch since 2019, created a fake teacher ID.
The ID was allegedly generated in the name of Tanushree, described as a fictitious teacher, and used to process unauthorised salary payments through the HRMS portal.
The suspected fraud involved payments totalling ₹98,12,773. Investigators are examining how the salary records were created and how the payments received authorisation within the department’s digital system.
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How Did Investigators Discover the Irregularities?
The suspected fraud came to light on October 8, when an HRMS central investigation team based in Patna detected a suspicious teacher ID while verifying digital records.
A preliminary inquiry reportedly indicated the direct involvement of Avinash Raj in creating the fraudulent identity and processing the payments. Following the discovery, an FIR was registered at Jogsar police station on October 9.
The education department subsequently initiated an examination of appointment records, service details and salary transactions to determine how the alleged irregularities occurred and identify those responsible.
Why Were the Education Officers Suspended?
The district administration conducted an inquiry into the suspected salary fraud and forwarded its findings to the education department.
The inquiry report reportedly raised serious allegations against DEO Chandan Kumar. The department subsequently ordered the suspension of both officials.
The district magistrate said the education department had sought a report, which the administration prepared and submitted. The suspensions followed that report. Departmental proceedings are expected to examine the allegations and determine responsibility.
What Are the Suspension Conditions?
Chandan Kumar’s suspension took effect immediately. During the suspension period, his headquarters will be the office of the Regional Deputy Director of Education in the Purnia division.
Shashi Chandan Chaudhary’s suspension is effective from October 9, the date he was taken into custody, and will continue until further orders. During his suspension, his headquarters will be the office of the Regional Deputy Director of Education in the Darbhanga division.
The departmental order linked his arrest to the FIR concerning alleged salary payments through the HRMS portal.
What Happens Next in the Investigation?
Authorities are examining the appointment, service and salary records associated with the fictitious teacher identity. The investigation is expected to establish how the fraudulent teacher ID was created, how salary payments were authorised and whether additional individuals were involved.
The available information does not establish whether any of the allegedly misappropriated money has been recovered.
The420 Insight: What Does the Case Reveal?
The alleged fraud raises concerns about verification and approval procedures in government salary management systems.
Digital payroll platforms require effective checks to ensure that employee identities, appointment records and salary authorisations are genuine. Regular audits, restricted administrative access and independent verification of employee records can help detect suspicious entries before public funds are disbursed.
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