LUCKNOW, Sept. 5 -- A case of large-scale fraud, wherein medals ordered for official felicitation ceremonies turned out to be made of copper instead of silver, has come to light under the Northern Railway (NR) zone of Indian Railways, officials said. While the fraud was unearthed at the General Store Depot (GSD) at Alambagh in the Lucknow division of NR, the discovery has given rise to suspicion about the genuineness of medals worth approximately Rs 1.3 crore meant for various depots across NR, the officials said. The fraud detected at the Alambagh depot alone was to the tune of Rs 30-40 lakh, an official familiar with the matter said. An FIR was lodged against the Indore-based supplier and its Mumbai based associate, which was authorised to check the authenticity of the medals, according to officials. The development has rung alarm bells in the entire NR zone headquartered at Baroda house in Delhi and its four divisions. An important part of Railways' recognition culture, medals are presented to employees for long service, safety achievements, innovations, and sports excellence during Railway Week and other official functions. Staff showing bravery, accident prevention, or outstanding performance are also felicitated with medals and certificates. In some cases, retiring employees and even public contributors to railway safety are honoured. Ved Prakash Sharma, deputy CMM (deputy chief materials manager), Alambagh depot confirmed an FIR was lodged and further action is being taken on the matter. He said lab reports and rejection of supplies received have been attached with the complaint made to the police. "All related documents, including the purchase order, inspection certificates, receipt notes, and lab reports, have been attached to the complaint," he added. The FIR was registered at Lucknow's Alambagh police station on Wednesday (September 3, 2025). According to the FIR (a copy of which is in possession of HT ), the complainant Ramrass Meena, assistant material manager-II at the Alambagh depot, said the Railways had placed a purchase order on August 29, 2023, with M/s Viable Diamonds, Indore, for the supply of 853 gold-plated silver medals. "Out of these, 553 medals were received with an inspection certificate from M/s TUV India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, on April 29, 2025. However, suspicions arose, and the depot sent samples for a laboratory test on August 20, 2025. The results exposed the fraud, instead of being made of silver, the medals were copper-based, with only 0.01-0.02% silver content against the required 99.9% purity," the complainant told police in the FIR. Alambagh station house officer Subhash Chandra told HT the FIR named Vipul Jain, proprietor of M/s Viable Diamonds and M/s TUV India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, which had cleared the supply under contract norms. "The police have booked the accused under IPC Section 420 (cheating) for deliberate fraud and breach of trust and a team will soon be sent to Indore to probe the matter," the SHO added. The medals were meant for award functions, but the exposure of fake supplies has embarrassed the department, people familiar with the matter said. "This is not just a case of poor quality but a deliberate attempt to cheat the Railways," the complaint noted. The case points to a larger fraud of Rs.1.3 crore spread across multiple states. Speaking to HT on condition of anonymity, a senior Northern Railway officer close to the probe said bulk orders were placed in 2023 from the headquarters for thousands of medals to be distributed to various depots including Alambagh, Ambala, Moradabad, Shakurbasti (Delhi) and Jagadhari (Haryana). "The total purchase order was worth Rs.1.3 crore, and consignments were sent to all these depots. Since the 553 medals received by the Alambagh depot have been found to be fake, it is clear that other depots too received counterfeit medals," the officer said. According to officials, this was the first time the Indore-based company bagged the contract for supplying silver medals, with a Mumbai-based allied firm also awarded the contract. Both were engaged to establish authenticity, but the supply turned out to be fraudulent. The Mumbai-based firm was also responsible for checking safety materials of railway coaches since 2023, an official said. *Employee awards: For long service, innovation and Railway Week excellence*Safety and bravery: Honouring staff who save lives or avert accidents*Sports and culture: For athletes and artists representing Railways*Retirement and milestones: Commemorative medals on superannuation and anniversaries*Public felicitation: For citizens aiding railway safety and property protection Railways ordered 853 silver medals for employee felicitations.Medals received at Lucknow's Alambagh depot in April 2025.Tests revealed they were copper with only 0.01-0.02% silver, instead of 99.9%.Accused: Vipul Jain (Indore firm owner) + Mumbai inspection agency.Scale of the fraud: Total contract worth Rs.1.3 crore. Orders placed in 2023 for multiple depots: Alambagh (Lucknow), Ambala, Moradabad, Shakurbasti (Delhi) and Jagadhari (Haryana)Police action: FIR registered at Alambagh police station (Sept 3).FIR lodged under IPC Section 420 (Cheating, Breach of Trust). Police team to visit Indore for further probe....