How 6 UP X-ray technicians ran 9-year scam, looting ₹4.5cr
What's the story
In a shocking case of impersonation, six men in Uttar Pradesh managed to work as X-ray technicians in different government hospitals for nine years. The scam was unearthed during an online verification drive by the state health department. The impostors used the same name, father's name, and date of birth as their original counterpart, Arpit Singh from Agra.
Financial fraud
Average salary of ₹69,595 per month
The fraudsters, who had identical Aadhaar details and appointment letters, were posted in Balrampur, Farrukhabad, Banda, Rampur, Amroha, and Shamli. Each of them drew an average monthly salary of ₹69,595, which amounted to around ₹8.35 lakh a year per district. Over nine years, the total amount siphoned off from government payrolls by these impostors came to nearly ₹4.5 crore.
Disappearance
Impostors vanished after shutting their homes
The scam was exposed when the Manav Sampada portal flagged multiple employees with identical details. By then, the impostors had vanished, shutting their homes and switching off phones. The first complaint in this case was filed on September 8 at Wazirganj police station by Dr Ranjana Khare, director (paramedical). An FIR has been lodged against the impersonators, and investigations are underway to track them down.
Official response
Posts held by fake recruits will be declared vacant
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a probe into the matter. He directed Deputy CM and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak to take action against those involved. Pathak said, "Posts held by fake recruits will be declared vacant and adjusted in new recruitments." However, recovering the stolen salaries is expected to be extremely difficult as the fraudsters have disappeared.
Pattern revealed
Similar cases of impersonation in other districts
The Arpit Singh scam isn't an isolated incident. Investigators have found similar cases of impersonation in other districts as well. In Hardoi, six people joined service as Ankit Singh; two are missing, and one has been dismissed. In Mainpuri, two men with identical names, fathers' names, and birth years were recruited in different districts. These cases highlight a larger pattern of fraud within government recruitment processes.