Nashik: Fake ₹400–500 Crore Tenders Issued In Name Of Kumbh Mela, Strict Action Ordered

Jalgaon: A scam involving fake tenders worth ₹400 to ₹500 crore has come to light, wherein contractors were issued fraudulent tenders under the guise of supplying various goods for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela in Nashik. While no official Kumbh Mela tenders were issued offline, these fake tenders were distributed offline. Kumbh Mela Minister Girish Mahajan revealed this during a press conference this evening; he displayed the forged work orders to the media and stated that a police complaint regarding the matter has been filed.

Preparations for the Nashik Kumbh Mela are proceeding on a war footing, with work orders being issued through an online system. Despite this, fake offline tenders were floated for the supply of various items—including police supplies—and fraudulent work orders were created and issued to contractors in the names of Nashik Municipal Commissioner Dr Pravin Gedam and Kumbh Mela Commissioner Singh. Contractors who fell victim to this fraud directly approached Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan to lodge a complaint. Mahajan stated that he has ordered the police and the concerned administration to take immediate action in the matter.

During the press conference, while displaying the fake work orders, Mahajan explained that four individuals—two from Jamner, one from Jalgaon, and one from Dhule—had created and issued these fraudulent orders worth ₹400 to ₹500 crore in the name of the Nashik Kumbh Mela. Mahajan noted that the affected contractors were unwilling to disclose the amount of money they had paid to the perpetrators. These fake tenders were issued using the name of Jamner city. Government letters typically bear a QR code in accordance with regulations; the absence of this code on these orders aroused suspicion, exposing the fraud. Girish Mahajan clarified that the government has not issued a single offline tender and stated that orders have been given to the police to take strict action against those involved.