LUCKNOW, Oct. 30 -- Despite annual audits over the past seven years, embezzlement of pension funds worth Rs.43.13 crore from the Chitrakoot treasury went undetected between August 3, 2018, and October 6, 2025. The large-scale fraud came to light only after a special audit team from the accountant general's office carried out an unannounced inspection between October 6 and 10.

Following the revelation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Chitrakoot police and led by deputy superintendent of police Arvind Kumar Verma, on Tuesday arrested 15 people, including 11 fake pensioners and four middlemen. However, the SIT has yet to lay their hands on any treasury official allegedly involved in the scam.

According to Chitrakoot...