Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, July 6

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday conducted coordinated searches at 26 locations across 11 states and Union Territories as part of an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds in projects executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Ladakh, officials said.

The searches were carried out in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in connection with four criminal cases registered by the agency, the CBI said in a statement.

The investigation centres on alleged irregularities in the deployment of casual labourers and fraudulent payments purportedly made in the names of fictitious workers engaged in BRO’s Project Vijayak and Project Yojak in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

According to the agency, the four First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered based on complaints filed by the Ministry of Defence following an internal inquiry conducted by a Technical Board of Officers of the BRO.

The CBI said 10 officers, including personnel holding the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel, Major and Engineer, along with several private individuals, have been named as accused in the cases.

The accused are alleged to have committed offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of government funds under the Indian Penal Code, in addition to charges of criminal misconduct and bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Investigators suspect that payments were fraudulently processed in the names of non-existent or ineligible casual labourers, resulting in the alleged diversion of government funds earmarked for infrastructure projects in the strategically important border region.

During Monday’s searches, the agency said it recovered several incriminating documents and digital devices that are expected to assist the investigation.

“The searches have led to the recovery of incriminating documents and digital evidence. Investigation in the matter is continuing,” the CBI said.

The agency said it would carry out a comprehensive investigation to establish the extent of the alleged fraud, identify the roles of all those involved and determine the financial loss caused to the exchequer.

The BRO, which functions under the Ministry of Defence, is responsible for constructing and maintaining strategic road infrastructure in India’s border areas, including Ladakh, where road connectivity is considered critical for both civilian movement and military logistics.