3 crore TA-DA scam rocks Jabalpur SAF battalion, mastermind absconding

Jabalpur: A Rs 3-crore travel allowance (TA) and daily allowance (DA) scam was unearthed in the 6th Battalion of the Special Armed Force (SAF) at Ranjhi in Jabalpur, where fake travel bills were allegedly generated for years to siphon off govt money by showing personnel on outstation duty even when they never left the district.The fraud, which ran from 2018-19, involved manipulation of TA bills, OTP-based payments and bank accounts of constables, with investigators finding that in some cases the money credited through allowances far exceeded actual salaries. In one instance, nearly Rs 55 lakh was routed through 582 TA bills into a constable's account, despite his 7-year salary and arrears totalling only Rs 26 lakh.Ranjhi police registered an FIR against LDC Babu Satyam Sharma, posted in the TA branch and identified as the alleged mastermind, and constable Abhishek Jhariya. Officials said Sharma allegedly prepared fake bills, received OTPs meant for beneficiaries and pocketed a share of the amount, distributing the rest among associates. The case took a tragic turn after the irregularities surfaced in Nov 2025. Both accused were suspended, following which Jhariya allegedly died by suicide by jumping in front of a train on Nov 12. Sharma went absconding soon after the probe began.The scale of the scam emerged after the State Finance Intelligence Cell, acting on directions of the Commissioner of Treasury and Accounts, examined bank transactions of SAF personnel. The probe revealed excessive payments not only under travel allowance but also medical and FVC bills, with some accounts showing deposits up to 200 times higher than monthly salaries.Confirming the action, Ranjhi police station in-charge Umesh Golhani told TOI, "An FIR was registered against two personnel in the SAF TA scam. Around 12 others are under investigation and are being questioned."