Ranchi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Chief Spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo on Saturday accused the Jharkhand government of protecting senior officials allegedly involved in the ₹10,000-crore Treasury Scam and using the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to shield those responsible instead of ensuring a fair investigation.
Addressing a press conference, Shahdeo claimed that the State Finance Minister had admitted that there was no proper accounting of nearly ₹10,000 crore in government funds over the past few years. He alleged that, rather than fixing accountability, the government was attempting to safeguard its “favoured officers.”
Raising questions over the constitution of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Shahdeo alleged that officers who had previously served as Superintendents of Police in districts where the alleged scam occurred were made part of the investigation. According to him, two SIT members had earlier served as SPs in Hazaribagh and Bokaro—districts where chargesheets related to the Treasury Scam had already been filed—making it difficult to expect an impartial probe.
He further alleged that the investigation was focusing only on lower-level employees while senior officials were being spared. Referring to the Fodder Scam, Shahdeo said courts had recognised the role of Treasury officials in that case, leading to their conviction by CBI courts, with the verdicts later upheld by both the High Court and the Supreme Court.
Citing provisions of the Jharkhand Financial Rules and the Jharkhand Treasury Code, 2016, Shahdeo said the law clearly defines the responsibilities of Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) and Treasury officials in verifying and releasing government funds. He referred to Sections 114, 115, 116, 305, 305A and 306 of the Financial Rules, along with Appendices 3, 18 and 19 of the Treasury Code, stating that officials are legally required to verify bills, supporting documents, signatures and other records before authorising payments.
Despite these statutory responsibilities, Shahdeo alleged that the CID had given a clean chit to all concerned DDOs and Treasury officials in its chargesheet. He claimed that in the Chaibasa Treasury Scam, only constables had been named as accused, while officials responsible for approving the payments had been left out.
“The CID has become the government’s preferred agency whenever it wants to bury or whitewash a major scam. Whenever the government wants to put an investigation into cold storage, it hands the case over to the CID,” Shahdeo alleged.
He also questioned the government’s response to the special audit recommended by the Principal Accountant General (PAG). According to Shahdeo, after the state government sought a special audit, the Principal Accountant General wrote to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department on May 11, 2026, seeking 87 categories of documents. However, he alleged that despite more than two months having passed, the government had failed to provide the required records.
Shahdeo further claimed that the SIT constituted under the leadership of the Excise Secretary had also not submitted its investigation report.
Accusing the government of attempting to suppress the case, Shahdeo said efforts to cover up the Fodder Scam had ultimately failed, resulting in convictions in multiple cases. He alleged that the present government was repeating the same mistake by trying to bury the Treasury Scam instead of ensuring accountability.
BJP State Co-Media In-charge Ajay Rai was also present at the press conference.