Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation’s ‘Magic Pen Scam’: Sanitation Workers Marked Present While Absent, Draw Salaries For Months

Bhiwandi: A serious controversy has erupted within the sanitation department of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), with allegations that attendance records of sanitation workers were manipulated to show absent employees as present, enabling them to continue drawing salaries from the civic treasury despite allegedly remaining off duty for prolonged periods.

Scam Name & Concerns

The alleged irregularity, now being widely referred to as BNMC’s “Magic Pen Scam,” has triggered concerns over financial misappropriation, administrative negligence, and possible collusion within the civic body's sanitation machinery.

The matter was brought to light by corporator Abdul Rehman Khan alias Saddam, who claimed to have personally verified attendance records at a sanitation cabin in Ward No. 14. According to Khan, several sanitation workers who had allegedly not reported for duty for months were nevertheless reflected as regularly present in official records.

Tampering Method

Sources familiar with the inquiry alleged that absentee entries initially recorded in attendance registers and muster rolls were subsequently altered before salary processing. In several instances, records that reportedly showed workers absent were allegedly modified, with attendance markings and signatures appearing in their place at a later stage.

The alleged tampering allowed certain employees to continue receiving monthly salaries from public funds despite questions over their actual presence on duty, sources claimed.

Public Outrage

The revelations have sparked outrage among residents who have long complained about inadequate sanitation services across various parts of Bhiwandi. Persistent issues such as uncollected garbage, overflowing waste dumps, foul odour, and irregular cleaning operations have remained major civic concerns despite the municipal corporation employing a large sanitation workforce.

“Residents frequently complain about poor cleanliness standards and the apparent absence of sanitation workers in several localities. If employees were drawing salaries without reporting for duty, it raises serious questions about accountability and supervision within the department,” said a local resident.

Inquiry Ordered

Taking the allegations seriously, Deputy Commissioner Vikram Darade ordered an internal inquiry into the matter. During the preliminary investigation, officials reportedly found prima facie irregularities in the maintenance of attendance records. Acting on the findings, Darade suspended the concerned Health Inspector Santosh Jadhav pending further investigation.

While the suspension marks the first major administrative action in the case, public representatives and civic activists argue that the alleged scam may extend beyond a single official or sanitation cabin.

Unanswered Questions

Several critical questions remain unanswered. If attendance records were manipulated, how long had the practice been continuing? How many employees benefited from the alleged fraud? What was the total financial burden imposed on the municipal exchequer through salaries paid against allegedly fabricated attendance records? And was the operation confined to one ward, or indicative of a larger network functioning within the sanitation department?

The BNMC employs more than 2,000 sanitation workers across the city. Despite this sizeable workforce, concerns regarding cleanliness and waste management continue to surface regularly, prompting repeated scrutiny from residents and elected representatives.

The latest allegations have intensified demands for a comprehensive audit of attendance registers, salary disbursement records, deployment logs, and supervisory mechanisms across all wards. Civic activists have called for an independent investigation and forensic examination of attendance records to determine the extent of the alleged manipulation.

Observers believe the case could expose deeper administrative lapses if a detailed probe is undertaken. Many have also urged the municipal administration to introduce biometric attendance systems, GPS-based workforce monitoring, and digital record management to eliminate the possibility of manual tampering in the future.

What began as a routine complaint regarding sanitation staff attendance has now evolved into a potentially significant civic scandal with implications for public accountability and financial transparency. Investigators will now have to determine whether the alleged “magic pen” was merely a tool used to alter records or evidence of a broader and more organised fraud operating within the municipal system.

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