Massive Corruption Without Work: Tripura High Court Admits PIL on Multi-Crore Scam in Kanchanpur Various Projects

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 5, 2025

In a major development that has sent shockwaves through the administrative machinery of North Tripura, the Tripura High Court has admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging massive corruption worth several crores of rupees in the Rural Development (RD) Department of Kanchanpur subdivision. The Division Bench of the High Court has already issued notices to the concerned department to verify the authenticity of the serious allegations raised in the PIL.

According to the PIL, filed by the Kanchanpur Unnayan Mancha, a total of 12 rural development projects were supposedly implemented between 2018 and 2023. However, it is alleged that most of these projects were shown on paper only, with little or no actual work done on the ground, despite full expenditure being shown against them.

The High Court, taking serious note of the allegations, observed that such irregularities in public welfare schemes amount to blatant misuse of public funds and are outright illegal. The Court has raised five key questions to the department:



1. A complete financial statement of allocations and expenditures for all 12 projects.

2. A list of contractors who were awarded the projects, with names and details.

3. Monitoring and quality control reports prepared by the department at different stages.

4. All audit reports prepared during the course of implementation.

5. Names and designations of officials who were in charge during the implementation period, including the former SDM of Kanchanpur and the then BDO and RD officers.



Significantly, the Court has also brought under its purview the then District Magistrate and Collector of North Tripura, IAS officer Nagesh Kumar, holding him accountable in the process.

The Court has issued a strong warning that failure to submit detailed and truthful information in time may lead to the case being handed over to an independent and neutral investigative agency.

What is even more alarming is that no display boards or public information about the projects were found at the respective work sites, which is a mandatory requirement as per government rules. This lack of transparency and apparent administrative connivance has allowed many projects to be “completed” on paper while the actual implementation remains incomplete or missing.

The PIL further states that such malpractices are not confined to rural areas alone; similar irregularities are allegedly taking place in urban development projects as well. The PIL filed by the Kanchanpur Unnayan Mancha seeks accountability and a full-scale probe into the financial mismanagement and the alleged nexus between contractors and officials.

The Tripura High Court’s intervention has now triggered a wave of concern across the North Tripura district administration, with several top officials coming under scrutiny. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for governance and transparency in public works across the state.

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