The investigation into the alleged illegal withdrawal of funds from the Bokaro treasury has taken another major turn, as the CID team from Ranchi arrested a constable posted in the accounts branch of the Superintendent of Police (SP) office. The arrested personnel, identified as Kajal Mandal, was taken into custody on Thursday and brought to Ranchi for detailed interrogation. Authorities claim she was acting as a close associate of the prime accused, Kaushal Kumar Pandey.
According to officials involved in the probe, Kajal Mandal’s role came under scrutiny after extensive analysis of both manual and digital financial records linked to the treasury transactions. The CID team has been systematically tracing money movement patterns, internal approvals, and discrepancies in salary-related withdrawals, which led to the latest arrest.
The case first came to light after the alleged mastermind, suspended accountant Kaushal Kumar Pandey, was arrested on April 7. He was accused of orchestrating irregular withdrawals from the SP office treasury system. Following his arrest, the CID recommended a wider investigation into the entire network, suspecting involvement of multiple departmental employees.
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Subsequently, the probe expanded rapidly. On April 27, Home Guard personnel Satish Kumar was arrested for his alleged involvement in facilitating the fraudulent transactions. Just two days later, on April 29, ASI Ashok Bhardwaj was also taken into custody after his suspected role in the financial manipulation surfaced during interrogation of earlier accused persons.
With the arrest of Kajal Mandal on Thursday, the total number of arrested personnel in the case has now reached four, triggering widespread concern within the police department. Officials acknowledge that the continuous arrests have created a climate of unease and internal scrutiny within the administrative setup.
How the alleged fraud network operated
Investigators revealed that the accused were allegedly part of a coordinated network that manipulated treasury records to enable unauthorized fund withdrawals. The operation reportedly involved a mix of manual entry alterations and digital system exploitation, allowing funds meant for salaries and official disbursements to be diverted into unauthorized accounts.
CID officials stated that the investigation is being conducted using a combination of forensic accounting techniques and digital data analysis. Banking trails, transaction logs, and system access records are being thoroughly examined to identify the exact flow of funds and the individuals responsible at each stage of the process.
Sources indicate that Kajal Mandal’s role is believed to be linked to assisting in processing or facilitating transactions within the accounts branch, although the exact nature of her involvement is still under investigation. Officials are currently verifying whether she directly handled data manipulation or acted under instructions from higher-level accused personnel.
Arrests, CID scrutiny, and internal shock
The arrested constable is being questioned in Ranchi, where investigators are attempting to extract details regarding communication patterns, financial transfers, and possible external involvement. Authorities are also probing whether additional employees from the SP office or treasury department were part of the network.
The arrest has intensified scrutiny on internal financial systems within the police administration, raising questions about oversight mechanisms and access control protocols. Officials admit that the case has exposed serious vulnerabilities in the handling of government salary and treasury funds.
With four arrests already made, CID officials have indicated that the investigation is far from over. More individuals are likely to come under the scanner as the money trail analysis progresses. The agency is also expected to examine whether similar irregularities exist in other districts.
Administrative review and ongoing probe
Meanwhile, the police department is reportedly reviewing internal audit procedures to prevent further misuse of financial systems. The ongoing investigation continues to unfold, with authorities focusing on uncovering the full extent of the network and ensuring accountability at every level involved in the alleged scam.
