A senior Airports Authority of India official stands accused of masterminding one of the largest financial frauds in recent memory, as authorities probe complex money trails and raise urgent questions about institutional oversight.
Arrest and Allegations Shake AAI
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended Rahul Vijay, a Senior Manager at the Airports Authority of India (AAI), in a high-profile financial misconduct case. According to CBI sources, Vijay allegedly siphoned off as much as ₹232 crores in public funds during his time at Dehradun Airport. Investigators describe the case as one of the biggest fiscal scams of the year, prompting swift action and an extensive probe into Vijay’s financial dealings.
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Dehradun Airport: Breeding Ground for Irregularities
The investigation stemmed from a formal complaint by AAI following the discovery of massive discrepancies during Vijay’s tenure at Dehradun Airport between 2019 and 2023. Officials allege he exploited his access to electronic records to create fictitious assets and duplicate bills, routinely padding accounts by adding extra zeros to contract values. This pattern of systematic manipulation enabled the unauthorized outflow of enormous sums over several years.
Tracing the Money Trail
CBI’s case centers on a sophisticated scheme in which Vijay is said to have routed inflated amounts directly from official accounts to his personal ones. From there, funds were allegedly transferred into various trading accounts. In one striking incident, he is accused of swindling ₹189 crore in a single instance, achieved by discreetly inflating a contract figure. Investigators say this calculated process made it possible to divert unprecedented sums with alarming ease.
Raids, Recovery, and Ongoing Probe
CBI teams intensified their investigation on August 28, raiding Vijay’s home and workplace in Jaipur. The raids resulted in the seizure of property deeds, securities, official papers, and other incriminating documents. With the accused now under arrest, authorities stress that the probe remains active as they trace the money’s path through various accounts—a task complicated by the scale and complexity of the fraud. The revelation of this pervasive scam has rattled AAI, triggering concerns about how such extensive embezzlement escaped detection through regular audits and controls for years.