₹20 Lakh Recovered From Maoist Dumps Goes Missing, Two Police Officers Under Scanner

Around ₹20 lakh recovered from two Maoist dumps during separate anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district earlier this year has allegedly gone unaccounted for, prompting an internal police inquiry and scrutiny of two Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officers associated with the recoveries. According to police, around ₹15 lakh was recovered from a dump in the Tondemarka forests in March, while another ₹5 lakh was recovered from the Marmakonari area of Murargaon in the first week of April. The cash was required to be documented as part of the seizure proceedings and deposited through the prescribed procedure. However, discrepancies were later noticed in the recording and handling of the recovered money, prompting authorities to examine what happened to the cash after it was seized. The two officers have since been transferred out of Kanker and are now posted in other districts.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police BL Meena said a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Kanker superintendent of police indicated the alleged involvement of the two DSPs in concealing Maoist-related material and cash. Meena said further investigation would follow and action would be taken after the inquiry establishes the circumstances. The names of the officers have not been disclosed because the investigation is still underway. Kanker SP Nikhil Rakheja had completed preliminary inquiries into the two recoveries and sent a report to senior authorities, according to police officials. The officers have not been publicly held guilty of misappropriation, and the allegations remain subject to the ongoing investigation and any subsequent departmental or legal proceedings.

Investigators are examining how the two operations were conducted and whether the recovered cash was properly reflected in official seizure records. Police officials said the two DSPs allegedly obtained information about concealed Maoist dumps by questioning surrendered Maoists and subsequently brought in people from neighbouring Bijapur and Sukma districts to assist with excavation. The searches were carried out in forested areas where Maoist groups had reportedly concealed cash and other material years earlier. After the officers were transferred from Kanker in mid-June, some people who allegedly assisted with the digging reportedly spoke about the operations, leading to greater scrutiny of the recoveries and the handling of the material. Investigators are now examining statements from those involved as well as the operational records.

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The inquiry is also looking beyond the ₹20 lakh that has been specifically identified. Police officials are examining whether other Maoist dumps may have been located during operations but were not fully reported through official channels. Operational records, seizure documents and statements from police personnel and other individuals associated with the searches are being scrutinised to establish the chain of custody of the recovered cash and other material. In anti-Maoist operations, recoveries can include cash, weapons, explosives and other supplies, making documentation of seizures and their subsequent handling an important part of the official process. The current investigation is therefore examining both the specific cash discrepancy and whether there were wider irregularities in the handling of material recovered during searches in the area.

The two DSP-rank officers were transferred from Kanker in mid-June and subsequently posted in other districts, according to police. Their transfers preceded the wider scrutiny of the recoveries, although police have not said that the transfers themselves were disciplinary action connected to the missing cash. The preliminary inquiry was initiated after discrepancies emerged in the handling and recording of the recovered material. Police officials have said the investigation will determine whether the cash was improperly handled, concealed or otherwise diverted from the prescribed seizure and deposit process. Until that process is completed, the allegations against the officers remain under investigation rather than a final finding of wrongdoing.

The case has brought renewed attention to the procedures governing recoveries during anti-Maoist operations in the Bastar region. Authorities are now seeking to establish where the ₹20 lakh recovered from the two dumps went and whether the money was ever entered into official records or deposited as required. Investigators are also examining the statements of people who allegedly assisted in locating and excavating the dumps, along with documents related to the operations. Police have indicated that further action will be taken once the inquiry establishes the facts. For now, the investigation remains focused on the alleged disappearance of the recovered cash, the role of the two DSP-rank officers and whether any additional Maoist material was concealed from official records.

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