Departmental action has intensified at Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) after a vigilance investigation uncovered alleged irregularities in the company’s biometric attendance system. An agent and a clerk have been issued charge sheets along with show-cause notices following the findings of the probe. The case pertains to alleged manipulation of biometric attendance records, manual entry of attendance data and possible administrative lapses in maintaining employee attendance records.
The matter came to light after 64 workers lodged complaints in December 2025 questioning the authenticity of biometric attendance records. During the vigilance inquiry, investigators found that while the majority of attendance records were genuine, irregularities were confirmed in seven cases. Based on these findings, departmental proceedings have been initiated against the employees allegedly involved.
One of the most serious observations during the investigation involved an injured worker. According to the inquiry, instead of being granted injury leave as prescribed under company rules, the employee’s attendance was allegedly marked as regular. Investigators believe the alleged irregularity not only violated established procedures but may also have affected the employee’s statutory benefits and entitlements. The vigilance department has reportedly treated the matter as a serious administrative lapse.
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Following the inquiry, the concerned agent and clerk have been served with show-cause notices and formal charge sheets. Departmental proceedings are now underway. At the same time, employees have raised questions over the role of attendance officials and supervisory personnel responsible for monitoring the attendance process, demanding that their involvement also be examined during the investigation.
An internal inquiry has also raised concerns regarding the biometric attendance system at the Basantimata-Dahibari Colliery. According to the report, the attendance of several employees was manually recorded under the category of “Face Not Recognised” for extended periods. One employee was found to have received manual attendance entries continuously for 138 days. Investigators also noted that all such entries were reportedly made using a single SAP ID, raising further concerns about the transparency and integrity of the attendance management process.
During the same period, two clerks posted in the stores department were transferred on administrative grounds. Although the management has described the transfers as routine administrative decisions, the move has triggered speculation among employees in view of the ongoing controversy surrounding the biometric attendance system.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that investigations into biometric attendance fraud should extend beyond manual records. According to him, forensic examination of server logs, access control records, digital audit trails, user ID activity, biometric authentication data and system logs is essential to determine whether any technical manipulation, unauthorized system access or identity misuse played a role in the alleged irregularities.
BCCL management has stated that the departmental inquiry is continuing and that further action will be taken based on the evidence collected during the investigation. Authorities are now reviewing biometric records, digital logs, attendance data and the role of officials associated with the attendance system to determine whether the alleged irregularities indicate a broader pattern of organized manipulation requiring additional administrative or legal action.
