Raipur: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Raipur, arrested Gaurav Shukla (47) on 16 April 2026 for allegedly embezzling ₹79 lakh meant for the Indira Awas Yojana. Shukla, a resident of Nandbag, Rumgara (Korba district), worked as a kiosk operator.
Officials registered a case under Sections 420, 421, 409, and 120(B) of IPC, along with Sections 7(c) and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018). The special court in Korba has granted police remand till 21 April 2026.
Investigations revealed that the accused siphoned off funds meant for rural beneficiaries in Korba during 2017, originally sanctioned under the Indira Awas Yojana (2010-11).
Shukla, while operating a kiosk for Bank of India (Korba branch), identified dormant beneficiary accounts. He accessed bank staff IDs, reactivated these accounts, and linked them to his own Aadhaar and those of his family members—parents, wife, and son. Using the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), he bypassed security checks and diverted funds into accounts under his control.
The accused exploited technical flaws in Finacle software, including lack of auto logout and mandatory Aadhaar verification. As a banking correspondent, he misused staff terminals in their absence to execute fraudulent transactions.
Preliminary findings show 620 fraudulent entries using 10 different staff user IDs, many without physical Aadhaar verification. Officials said the investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of the fraud.
