A major financial fraud has been uncovered in the Mumbai Police Department, where salaries amounting to *₹6.41 crore* were allegedly paid to ten non-existent employees over several months. The scam came to light during the migration of employee records from the old payroll system to a new digital platform, exposing serious loopholes in administrative and financial oversight.

According to the investigation, the fraudulent payments were made between 2019 and 2020. The names of ten fictitious individuals were allegedly inserted into the payroll database, allowing regular salary transfers into bank accounts despite the fact that these employees never actually served in the police department.

Officials discovered the discrepancy while transferring personnel records from the old *Sevarth* payroll portal to a new software system. During the verification process, several employee records lacked appointment documents, service history, attendance records, or official postings. This triggered a detailed investigation that eventually exposed the alleged payroll fraud.

Investigators found that salary transactions were made continuously between December 2019 and February 2020, and again from June to September 2020. Authorities suspect that ministerial staff manipulated attendance registers, payroll records, and employee databases to create fake identities and facilitate illegal salary payments.

The FIR names ten fictitious employees, while five serving or former departmental officials have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including charges of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy.

Two officials have already been suspended over allegations of creating fake service IDs and Defined Contribution Pension Scheme (DCPS) IDs to process unauthorized salary payments. During suspension, they have been barred from taking private employment or leaving the Mumbai metropolitan region without official permission.

The investigation is now focused on identifying who operated the fake bank accounts, who ultimately received the money, and whether additional officials or outsiders were involved. Financial records, banking transactions, digital logs, and payroll approvals are being examined through forensic analysis.

The case has raised serious concerns regarding internal financial controls within government departments. Experts believe stronger digital verification systems, periodic audits, and stricter payroll monitoring mechanisms are essential to prevent similar frauds in the future.