Gangtok, March 17 : In a major development in an ongoing corruption probe, the Sikkim Vigilance Police has arrested an Assistant Engineer from the Roads & Bridges (R&B) Department for alleged involvement in the misuse of government funds meant for installing crash barriers along the Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Road.
The arrest is part of a wider investigation into the suspected diversion of funds sanctioned under the Border Areas Development Programme (BADP). Authorities believe that the accused engineer played a key role in a conspiracy that led to the siphoning of public money, causing losses to the state exchequer.
Earlier, on March 13, the Vigilance team had taken a Junior Engineer and a supplier into custody in connection with the same case. Both individuals were interrogated to understand how the funds were allegedly misused and to trace the flow of money.
According to officials, the investigation began following complaints about irregularities in the execution of crash barrier installation work along JN Road in Gangtok. Preliminary findings suggest that certain officials from the R&B Department, in collusion with a supplier and contractor, manipulated records to falsely show that the work had been completed.
However, ground verification reportedly revealed that no such installation had actually taken place. Investigators also uncovered evidence of forged documents submitted to support fake claims, allowing the accused to divert the sanctioned funds into personal accounts.
The funds for the project were approved by the Government of India in 2020 with the objective of improving road safety in sensitive border areas. Officials now say that instead of serving public interest, the money was dishonestly misappropriated.
The Vigilance Police has confirmed that the investigation is still underway, and more arrests are likely in the coming days.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, the agency has urged citizens to report any instances of corruption or malpractice in public offices. Complaints can be submitted directly to the Vigilance Police through official channels.
