Two Operators Held In ₹14.69 Lakh Bhopal Municipal Corporation Property Tax Scam

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A Rs 14.69 lakh property tax embezzlement scam has been unearthed in the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), with police arresting two contractual operators on Sunday for allegedly manipulating the civic body's tax collection system and issuing fake payment receipts, Arera Hills police said.

According to officials, the fraud was allegedly committed on March 14 during the National Lok Adalat camp, when heavy public footfall was exploited to bypass system checks.

The accused allegedly created fake RTGS and NEFT entries, enabling the generation of genuine-looking tax receipts worth Rs 14,69,798 despite no money being deposited into the BMC's bank accounts.

The scam came to light in June after Ward 33 supervisor Raghuveer Tiwari detected major mismatches during account reconciliation.

He alleged that tax receipts had been issued using his login credentials without his knowledge and reported the matter to senior officials, prompting a physical audit and a police complaint.

BMC additional commissioner (revenue) Anju Arun Kumar, on June 12, directed Arera Hills police to expedite the investigation.

A technical examination of municipal server data led to the arrest of Siraj-ul-Haq, a computer operator on a 29-day contract in Ward 24, and Mohammad Samir, a clerk attached to the municipal planning cell.

Police have also named Nahid, an operator posted in Ward 42, as a co-accused. Officials are examining the extent of internal collusion and whether more officials or employees were involved in the alleged fraud.