HC orders CBI probe into Rs 1,000 crore scam in SRC, PRRC welfare schemes for differently-abled
Raipur
The Chhattisgarh High Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an inquiry into an alleged scam of nearly ₹1,000 crore in the State Resource Centre (SRC) and the Physical Referral Rehabilitation Centre (PRRC), institutions originally set up in the name of welfare and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
A division bench of Justice Parth Pratim Sahu and Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal termed the case a matter of serious corruption, observing that salaries were withdrawn in the names of fictitious employees and government funds were misappropriated.
The High Court directed the CBI to proceed with the already registered FIR, seize all relevant documents, and complete the investigation expeditiously. Notably, in 2020, considering the gravity of the allegations, the HC had ordered the Chief Secretary to conduct an inquiry. That report highlighted 31 financial irregularities, including the absence of audits for several years. However, the state government dismissed the findings as mere “administrative lapses.”
The CBI informed the court that the probe had earlier been halted following a Supreme Court directive but assured it was ready to resume if ordered. Taking note of the seriousness of the allegations and the alleged involvement of senior officials, the HC has now instructed the CBI to continue the investigation.
The SRC was established in 2004 as an autonomous body to provide technical support for rehabilitation of the differently-abled. In 2012, the PRRC was set up under its ambit to provide artificial limbs and treatment. However, large-scale irregularities were reported over the years. Documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that the institutions largely existed only on paper, while crores of rupees in government grants were siphoned off in the name of welfare schemes. Several senior IAS officers were named as office bearers of these bodies.
In 2018, Raipur resident Kundan Singh Thakur filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) through advocate Devarshi Thakur, alleging that crores were withdrawn under the guise of staff salaries even though no appointments had been made. The petitioner further claimed that a false employment record was created in his name at PRRC and salaries were withdrawn without his knowledge or employment. The PIL alleged a scam exceeding ₹1,000 crore.
The petition also named former Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Singh, along with several senior IAS officers, including retired bureaucrats Vivek Dhand, M.K. Raut, Alok Shukla, Sunil Kujur, B.L. Agrawal, Satish Pandey, and P.P. Shroti, among others, as being involved. However, the HC did not issue any order against Renuka Singh, noting that no specific prayer was made in the petition regarding her role.
