- 3 accused police officials currently absconding
Bhopal: Officials from the medical branch at the Madhya Pradesh Police Headquarters (PHQ) embezzled Rs 15 lakh by generating fake medical bills. The accused include ASI Harsh Wankhede (in-charge), Subedar Neeraj Kumar, and Head Constable Rajpal Thakur. All three fled after an FIR was filed against them.
The scam was executed using the names of 25 employees from the Police Training and Research Institute (PTRI). Between 2023 and July 2025, fake medical bills worth Rs 15 lakh were processed and government funds were transferred to personal accounts.
=How the scam worked
Investigations revealed that the accused would first deposit money into PTRI employees’ accounts under the guise of medical reimbursements. Neeraj Kumar would then contact these employees, falsely claiming the funds had been transferred by mistake. He would request the employees to return the money, which was then redirected to the accused’s accounts. This method was used multiple times until some employees grew suspicious and reported the matter in February 2025.
TI CB Rathore confirmed that PTRI employees had submitted a complaint earlier this year. Following the investigation, DSP OP Mishra submitted a report recommending action. Jahangirabad Police registered a case of fraud and forgery on Wednesday. All three officials had already been suspended in February and are currently absconding.
= Previous embezzlement
This is not the first offense by the trio. In February, an earlier FIR was filed after a confidential PHQ investigation found that the same officials had forged documents and embezzled Rs 76 lakh by creating fake medical bills in the names of their family members. They were arrested and jailed following that incident.
