ED probes ₹30cr fake marriage scam in Madhya Pradesh
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is digging into a ₹30 crore scam in Madhya Pradesh's Marriage Assistance Scheme, which was supposed to help daughters of construction workers get married between 2019 and 2021.
Instead, officials like ex-panchayat CEO Shobhit Tripathi and two data entry operators, Hemant alias Jitendra Sahu and Yogendra Sharma, allegedly faked documents and listed fake marriages to grab the money for themselves.
Investigators are still tracing where all the money went
Funds meant for real families were rerouted to ineligible people, with some cash even going into the share market, mutual funds, and property.
The scheme covered 93 villages and 20 banks, offering ₹51,000 per marriage—yet thousands of entries looked suspicious.
On October 3, 2025, the ED raided seven spots across Madhya Pradesh, seizing property papers and digital devices while freezing ₹21.7 lakh linked to the accused.
Investigators have flagged nearly 6,000 questionable marriages—some couples were already married or never had weddings during lockdowns—and are still tracing where all the money went.