
NDTV Impact: Ghost Employee Alert Triggers Statewide Audit in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal:
After an explosive report by NDTV on the possibility of thousands of "ghost employees" in Madhya Pradesh, based on a letter from the state treasury, the government has finally responded with an extensive data cleansing drive. The letter from the state treasury, dated May 23, raised alarm over thousands of government employees who had not drawn salaries from the official IFMIS (Integrated Financial Management Information System) since December 2024. Yet, the portal still has active employee codes.
In response, the State Financial Intelligence Cell (SFIC)-under the Commissioner of Treasury and Accounts (CTA)-conducted an extensive audit of the treasury database in coordination with DDOs (Drawing and Disbursing Officers) and treasury officers across the state. The exercise aimed to identify inactive employees and update the IFMIS system accordingly.
The government now claims that no fake or suspicious employee has been found so far, but the details revealed by the cleansing drive paint a more complex and worrying picture. As per the report, a total of 44,918 employees - 36,081 regular and 8,837 non-regular - have not withdrawn salaries via IFMIS in more than six months. When broken down by status, the numbers reveal this: Out of the 44,918 employees, 21,461 were found to be dead (19,533 regular and 1,928 non-regular), while 4,654 employees were on deputation (4,436 regular and 178 non-regular). Another 10,985 had either retired, resigned, opted for voluntary retirement, or had their services terminated. 483 were suspended without salary, and 1,656 employees had their salaries withheld due to official government directives. In addition, 2,342 were placed in the 'Free Pool', meaning they were unassigned after transfers or status changes. Technical issues accounted for 1,022 employees, and 2,247 employees were linked to miscellaneous cases, including bonded doctors, grant-in-aid institutions, or PRI contractual staff.
Despite these seemingly legitimate classifications, none of the employee codes were deactivated, and exit procedures had not been completed in IFMIS. This means these accounts remain active in the system, vulnerable to misuse, and - if left unchecked - could be exploited for unauthorised or backdated salary withdrawals.
NDTV's Earlier Report Raised Alarm Bells
NDTV had earlier exposed how nearly 50,000 government employees were "missing" from the salary grid, despite their codes being active. The report, based on the same May 23 memo, suggested that the situation could escalate into one of the biggest ghost employee scandals in the state's history. The value of unpaid salaries linked to these ghost-like entries was estimated to be around Rs 230 crore.
When NDTV confronted Finance Minister Jagdish Devda, his response was evasive: "Whatever process is followed, it is done according to rules." When asked if such a situation posed a risk to the system, he simply repeated, "Whatever happens, will be according to rules... okay... fine," before abruptly ending the conversation.
Although the government has denied the existence of any fraudulent employees, the very architecture of the payroll system has been exposed as vulnerable. Codes remain active despite death, resignation, retirement, suspension, or deputation. Without proper flagging or exit entries, these dormant identities could be reactivated with malicious intent.
The government says this is part of a continuous cleansing process that will pave the way for a more robust IFMIS NextGen rollout.
But One Question Remains - While the system may not have found its ghost just yet, the shadow of systemic failure still hangs heavy over Madhya Pradesh's treasury, and NDTV will keep reporting until every name, every code, and every rupee is accounted for.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Print
36 minutes ago
- The Print
French embassy visa fraud case: Under India's 1st silver notice from Interpol, CBI to trace assets abroad
In January this year, ThePrint reported that the Interpol published its first-ever silver notice—on Italy's request—to identify, trace, recover and confiscate the proceeds of crime including criminal assets, spread across different countries of any fugitive or accused in cases of fraud and money laundering. The agency's International Operations Division was successful in getting India's first silver notice published in this case in coordination with the International Police Cooperation Unit of the CBI. New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has got India's first 'silver notice' issued by Interpol, which will enable the probe agency to trace proceeds of crime related to the French embassy visa 'fraud' case, allegedly parked in different countries. This was initiated to launch a crackdown on transnational organised crime. As part of the pilot project, each Interpol member-nation can request up to nine such notices. Through the silver notice, agencies in India can collect information on assets of fugitives and key accused even if the assets are parked in other countries. Once a request is sent through the CBI—which is the Interpol's nodal agency in India—the Interpol forwards the request to countries where the agency suspects the accused has assets in, and seeks further information. Additional assistance is also provided for confiscation and seizures. Also Read: No new Red Corner Notice sought by India for Pannun since Interpol rejected 2nd request 2 yrs ago CBI charge sheets 8 in case Meanwhile, the CBI said Wednesday it has filed a charge sheet in the French embassy visa fraud case against eight persons including a local law officer in the visa department of the embassy. His father, brother and wife have also been named in the charge sheet alongside two visa agents and two other suspected middlemen. During the investigation, the CBI found that between January 2021 and May 2022, the law officer in the visa department allegedly targeted applicants from Punjab who were seeking Schengen visas. Through a network of visa agents, the accused allegedly lured the applicants into paying huge amounts of money to obtain Schengen visas. Chargesheet filed against 8 accused in French Embassy Visa Fraud case CBI gets India's First Ever Silver Notice published by Interpol to Trace Assets Abroad — Central Bureau of Investigation (India) (@CBIHeadquarters) June 11, 2025 'A network of visa agents, mostly based in Punjab received money ranging from Rs 13 lakh to Rs 45 lakh from each visa applicant and in lieu of these large sums of money, visa applications were processed by the accused and on issuance of Schengen visas and the accused destroyed the visa documents and files,' the CBI said in a statement. The CBI's probe found huge amounts of cash and multiple documents relating to properties worth crores of rupees acquired in India and abroad including in various locations in Punjab and Delhi. 'Two visa agents were the key co-conspirators who funneled the money through various bank accounts, which ultimately reached the accused Law Officer and his family members through the two accused middlemen,' the CBI said. The chargesheeted accused include law officer Shubham Shokeen, his brother Abhishek Shokeen, father Samunder Singh, wife Aarti Choudhary, visa agents Balwinder Singh Bartia and Pritpal Singh, and suspected middlemen Jashandeep Singh Sidhu and Bhawan Shokeen. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Interpol launches 'Silver Notice' to track criminal assets worldwide. India played key role in move


Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
SC/ST commission flags ‘two-glass' system in Telangana villages
Hyderabad: The chairman of the SC/ST commission, Bakki Venkataiah, expressed concern over the discriminatory practices being followed in some villages and urged the officials concerned to crack the whip against those indulging in such practices. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Referring to a 'two-glass' system, where separate cups or tumblers are used for different castes, Bakki Venkataiah claimed it is still being practised in some villages. "It is a matter of concern that the 'two-glass' system is being practised in some areas. This must be eradicated," he said. However, Venkataiah did not specify the places and districts where such incidents were reported. The commission visited Jogulamba Gadwal district and Nagarkurnool, held meetings with officials, and called for strong action against caste-based discrimination. At a meeting with officials in Jogulamba Gadwal on Tuesday, he instructed the police and revenue authorities to lay their focus on Rayapuram village, where instances of caste-based discrimination had been reported. Officials told TOI that some years ago, a community had complained about people from a particular caste refusing to offer haircuts in salons and restricting their entry. "We have not received any complaints regarding the 'two-glass' system, but if such practices are found, we will take strict against those responsible," a senior official said. The 'two-glass' system is typically observed at tea stalls or similar places, where certain communities are made to drink from separate glasses, which are kept apart from others. Meanwhile, Jogulamba Gadwal Collector BM Santhosh informed the commission that the administration is taking strict action in cases registered against the SC/ST Act. Since Sept 2023, 62 complaints have been registered, of which 19 cases are still under investigation, while chargesheets have been filed in the remaining cases. In one case, an accused has been convicted. The govt has provided Rs 38.75 lakh as compensation to victims in 32 cases, he informed the commission.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Of 102 hit-&-run compensation claims filed in Gurgaon, only 2 settled in 3 years
Gurgaon: In three years, 102 claims have been filed by families or victims of hit-and-run accidents, of which compensation has been disbursed for only two of them. Two cases are in the final stages of processing, and the remaining – 98 – are still being investigated by police. This slow pace of resolution has left families of accident victims in the lurch, with some waiting for years after they applied for aid under the 2022 Hit-and-Run Motor Accident Compensation scheme. The scheme, which falls under Section 161 of the Motor Vehicles Act , came into effect from April 1, 2022. It offers Rs 2 lakh as compensation in cases of fatalities, and Rs 50,000 for serious injuries. The scheme is only applicable for hit-and-run accidents, in which police have not been able to identify the errant driver or vehicle. Sunita, a city resident whose husband died in a hit-and-run accident on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway this year, told TOI she has been waiting for compensation for months. Her husband was the only earning member of the family. "My husband was returning home after work on a cycle when he was hit by an unknown vehicle. After his death, I started working as domestic help to support my family," she said, adding that compensation will help her pay for her kids' education. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The issue of delayed resolutions also came up at a district road safety committee meeting, chaired by Gurgaon deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar, earlier this week. "The regional transport authority (RTA) secretary has been directed to expedite the data collection process, ensuring that claims are processed swiftly and efficiently. The goal is to provide timely financial assistance to victims, alleviating some of the burdens they face in the wake of these tragic incidents," the DC had said, directing all involved agencies to expedite the process. According to the norms, a hit-and-run accident victim or a victim's family can apply for compensation under the scheme before the sub-divisional magistrate. They have to submit a death certificate, post-mortem report, or hospital treatment documents as proof. But the scheme does not specify any timeline for completion of police inquiry, which delays a decision on the claim. Accidents aren't uncommon on city roads, particularly the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, or NH-8. Last year, Gurgaon recorded 1,026 road accidents that led to 428 fatalities. Around 44% of the accidents were on national highways in the city, and the largest chunk of fatalities involved two-wheelers, traffic police data showed. In accident cases in which the errant driver/vehicle has been identified, victims and their families can approach the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) and file a case to seek compensation. The tribunal, after hearing both sides, determines the amount of compensation that may be paid to accident victims or their families. In many cases, the company that insured the errant driver's vehicle is asked to provide compensation.