ED files PMLA charge sheet in ₹30.18 crore MP marriage scheme fraud
Synopsis
A former Panchayat CEO in Madhya Pradesh allegedly used Covid-19 lockdown months — when public marriages were banned — to push through bogus marriage assistance claims, funnelling ₹30.18 crore across 5,923 fabricated cases. The ED's PMLA charge sheet, filed in Bhopal on 31 October, signals the probe is moving toward trial after arrests and property attachments.
Key Takeaways
The ED's Bhopal Zonal Office filed a PMLA charge sheet on 31 October against former Janpad Panchayat CEO Shobhit Tripathi and two others.
The alleged fraud involved ₹30.18 crore disbursed across 5,923 suspicious cases under Madhya Pradesh's Marriage Assistance Scheme .
The scheme provides ₹51,000 to daughters of registered poor construction workers — funds that were allegedly diverted using forged credentials.
Disbursements reportedly continued during the Covid-19 lockdown , when public marriages were legally prohibited.
Tripathi was arrested on 2 September under the PMLA and remains in judicial custody ; associate Hemant Sahu's properties were attached on 28 October .
The ED has stated that further investigation is ongoing and efforts to recover proceeds of crime continue.
The Enforcement Directorate's (ED) Bhopal Zonal Office has filed a charge sheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against former Janpad Panchayat CEO Shobhit Tripathi and two other accused before a special court in Bhopal, in connection with the alleged fraudulent disbursement of ₹30.18 crore in public funds under Madhya Pradesh's Marriage Assistance Scheme. The filing marks a pivotal escalation in a case that investigators say exploited a welfare programme meant to support the daughters of poor construction workers.
What the Scheme Was Meant to Do
The Madhya Pradesh Marriage Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance of ₹51,000 to daughters of registered poor construction workers upon marriage. Designed as a targeted welfare measure, the scheme required applicants to submit credentials proving their eligibility as beneficiaries.
According to investigators, that eligibility process was systematically subverted during Tripathi's tenure as CEO of Janpad Panchayat, Sironj, from 2019 to November 2021.
How the Alleged Fraud Was Carried Out
The ED's investigation found that forged and fabricated application forms, along with credentials of ineligible persons, were used to fraudulently claim benefits under the scheme. Funds were reportedly transferred into bank accounts opened in the names of these ineligible individuals — without their knowledge.
The money was then allegedly moved to makeshift accounts controlled by the accused and withdrawn in cash through multiple tranches. According to the agency, a total of 5,923 suspicious marriage assistance cases were approved under this arrangement, with ₹30.18 crore disbursed in what investigators describe as a coordinated diversion of public funds.
Notably, investigators found that disbursements continued even during the Covid-19 lockdown period, when public marriages were prohibited — a detail that significantly undermines any claim that the applications were legitimate.
Arrests, Attachments and Evidence
The ED initiated its probe on the basis of an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal, under Sections 420 and 409 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Sections 13(1)(e) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Tripathi and others.
Tripathi was arrested on 2 September under the PMLA and is currently under judicial custody. On 28 October, the ED attached various immovable properties belonging to Tripathi and his associate Hemant Sahu. Searches conducted in the matter also led to the recovery of several incriminating documents, the agency stated.
What Happens Next
The ED has confirmed that further investigation in the case remains in progress. The charge sheet filing before the special court sets the stage for trial proceedings, and the agency has indicated that its efforts to recover the proceeds of crime are ongoing. The case is being watched as an instance of systemic exploitation of state welfare infrastructure at the local governance level.
Point of View
And largely underreported. It suggests the fraud was not opportunistic but deliberately engineered, with the accused exploiting a crisis period precisely because oversight mechanisms were weakened. The case also raises structural questions about Janpad Panchayat-level governance: if a single CEO could approve 5,923 bogus cases disbursing ₹30.18 crore without triggering internal audits, the failure is institutional, not just individual. The ED's charge sheet is a necessary step, but accountability at the oversight level — district officials, state auditors — remains conspicuously absent from the narrative so far.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ED charge sheet filed in the MP Marriage Assistance Scheme case?
The Enforcement Directorate's Bhopal Zonal Office filed a charge sheet under the PMLA, 2002, on 31 October against former Janpad Panchayat CEO Shobhit Tripathi and two others. The charge sheet pertains to the alleged fraudulent disbursement of ₹30.18 crore across 5,923 bogus cases under Madhya Pradesh's Marriage Assistance Scheme.
What is the Madhya Pradesh Marriage Assistance Scheme?
It is a state government welfare programme that provides financial assistance of ₹51,000 to the daughters of registered poor construction workers upon marriage. Investigators allege the scheme was exploited using forged credentials and fabricated application forms to divert public funds.
How was the alleged fraud carried out?
According to the ED, forged credentials of ineligible individuals were used to open bank accounts and claim scheme benefits without the account holders' knowledge. The funds were then moved to makeshift accounts controlled by the accused and withdrawn in cash in multiple tranches, with disbursements reportedly continuing even during the Covid-19 lockdown when public marriages were prohibited.
What action has the ED taken so far?
The ED arrested Shobhit Tripathi on 2 September under the PMLA; he remains in judicial custody. On 28 October, immovable properties of Tripathi and associate Hemant Sahu were attached. Searches yielded several incriminating documents, and the agency has now filed a charge sheet before a special court in Bhopal.
What happens after the charge sheet is filed?
The filing of the charge sheet before the special PMLA court initiates the trial process. The ED has stated that further investigation is ongoing, with efforts continuing to identify and recover the full proceeds of crime.
