Basti: The police have intensified the crackdown in the ₹11-crore Midday Meal (MDM) scam, filing FIRs against 44 accused and arresting five key individuals, including the alleged mastermind. Overnight raids continued across multiple regions as the investigation widened dramatically.
The scam, which diverted government funds meant for children’s meals, was executed through systematic manipulation of Excel sheets, enabling the accused to inflate, divert, and siphon off allocations under the MDM conversion cost.
Five Arrested, Mastermind in Custody
Police on Wednesday arrested:
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Firoz Ahmed Khan, District Coordinator (MDM)
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Ashok Kumar Gupta, Headmaster, Balua Balui
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Naseem Ahmed, Village Head, Chaypurwa
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Mohd. Ahmadul Qadri, Parent Committee Chairman, Madhyanagar
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Malik Munnawar, Assistant Teacher, Dhuswa
The arrests were made near Normal Tiraha, Bada Parade Ground, during a coordinated operation led by Inspector-in-Charge Manoj Kumar Singh. Senior officers said all accused were interrogated extensively, and more arrests are expected in the coming days.
The FIR, registered at the Kotwali Nagar police station based on the complaint of District Basic Education Officer Shubham Shukla, names 44 individuals, with additional unidentified suspects also under scrutiny.
How the Scam Worked: Excel Sheet Tampering Exposed
Investigation has revealed a highly coordinated manipulation scheme:
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Excel sheets created on the basis of IVRS student data were deliberately altered.
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School-wise allocations were changed without modifying the district’s total approved amount, allowing tampering to go unnoticed.
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The original file approved by the District Magistrate was not uploaded to the PFMS portal.
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Instead, altered spreadsheets were uploaded with increased or decreased figures, enabling excess funds to be transferred to select school accounts.
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The headmasters, village heads, and parent committee members of these schools withdrew the excess money and shared it among themselves.
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Schools that were supposed to receive legitimate payments were underpaid, raising the first red flags.
Authorities say the manipulation was “methodical, multi-layered, and impossible without internal collusion.”
Network Sprawling Wider — Over 100 Individuals Under Lens
According to police, the scam involves:
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Three madrasas
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Four council schools
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Multiple officials from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
Preliminary estimates suggest that more than 100 people may be involved, making this one of the largest MDM frauds ever detected in the district.
How the Scam Was Uncovered
The fraud came to light after several schools complained to the BSA about receiving less MDM conversion cost than sanctioned. A detailed examination of PFMS portal records uncovered a massive mismatch, revealing diversion of nearly ₹11 crore.
BSA officials said the MDM Coordinator Firoz Ahmed was found to be in direct collusion with several schools and madrasas.
Raids Intensify; More Arrests Expected
On the orders of SP Vikas Kumar, multiple police teams launched overnight raids across Gasdi, Pachpedwa, and adjoining areas. The operation was monitored by ASP Vishal Pandey and CO Jyoti Shri.
Technical evidence, bank withdrawal records, and digital audit trails have been recovered. Officials say the investigation is “moving rapidly toward more major disclosures.”
“This is a big case. Arrests will be made as needed, and no one involved will be spared,” SP Vikas Kumar stated.
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