# Alive People Listed as Dead to Steal Funeral Welfare Funds: Rs 4.5 Lakh Embezzlement Confirmed in East Champaran

> An investigation in Darmaha Panchayat of East Champaran, Bihar, has confirmed embezzlement of nearly Rs 4.5 lakh from the Kabir Antayeshti Yojana, a welfare scheme for funeral expenses of the poor. Funds were fraudulently drawn in the names of living individuals, while ineligible APL families were given benefits meant for BPL households.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Bihar · **Published:** 2026-06-21 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/bihar/zinda-logon-ko-kagaza-para-mrita-dikhakara-harape-sarhe-chara-lakha-east-champaran-men-kabir-antayeshti-yojana-men-bara-ghotala-2141 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Kabir Antayeshti Yojana scam, East Champaran corruption, Darmaha Panchayat embezzlement, Bihar government scheme fraud, BPL scheme misuse, Shalini Mishra, panchayat corruption Bihar, Motihari news

## Government Funeral Aid Claimed for People Still Alive
A deeply troubling fraud has surfaced in Motihari's East Champaran district of Bihar. In Darmaha Panchayat under Kalyanpur block, panchayat workers and officials allegedly colluded to siphon government money from the Kabir Antayeshti Yojana, a welfare scheme that provides financial support for the funeral expenses of families living below the poverty line. The most alarming aspect of the scam is that payments were processed in the names of people who are still alive, creating fictitious deaths on official records to pocket government funds.

## The Scheme That Was Exploited
The Kabir Antayeshti Yojana is designed to ensure that BPL families do not struggle to afford a dignified funeral for their deceased members. The government provides this financial assistance specifically for shroud and cremation costs. In Darmaha Panchayat, however, this safety net for the most vulnerable was turned into a source of private gain.

## How the Fraud Was Carried Out
The investigation revealed a two-pronged fraud. First, the names of living individuals were used in official documentation to claim funeral assistance funds. Second, people falling under the APL (Above Poverty Line) category, who are not eligible for this scheme, were granted benefits that are meant exclusively for BPL families. Genuine beneficiaries who actually needed support were left out entirely. Investigators allege that the mukhiya and panchayat-level staff worked hand in glove to ensure that approximately Rs 4,50,000 in government money was irregularly withdrawn.

## MLA's Complaint Triggers Inquiry, Report Confirms Embezzlement
The matter had reportedly been raised at successive 20-point committee meetings without resolution. Local MLA Shalini Mishra eventually escalated the issue, formally demanding an investigation from the District Magistrate. Acting on the DM's instructions, DRDA Director Kundan Kumar ordered a departmental inquiry. The resulting report confirmed embezzlement of nearly Rs 4.5 lakh. Kundan Kumar himself acknowledged that funds under the scheme had been withdrawn through irregular means. He stated that the investigation report has been handed over to the District Magistrate, and further action will now be taken at the administrative level.

## East Champaran's Lengthening Record of Corruption
This latest case is part of a pattern. East Champaran has seen multiple welfare and infrastructure irregularities come to light in recent times. The scandal over culvert construction carried out without building the connecting road in Kesaria and Patahi had barely faded from public attention when this new embezzlement case emerged. Observers are now asking whether a thorough audit of other panchayats across the district would reveal that the total funds misappropriated are not in the lakhs but in the crores.

## What this means for you
- **Across Bihar:** Welfare funds meant for the poorest families are being diverted at the ground level before reaching genuine beneficiaries, leaving those most in need without any government support.
- **In East Champaran:** Concerns are growing that similar fraud may exist across other panchayats in the district, with investigators warning the total misappropriated amount could run into crores if a wider audit is conducted.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What is the Kabir Antayeshti Yojana and who does it serve?
It is a Bihar government welfare scheme that provides financial assistance to BPL (Below Poverty Line) families to cover the cost of shroud and cremation when a family member dies.

### 2. How much money was confirmed to have been embezzled?
The departmental investigation report confirmed embezzlement of approximately Rs 4,50,000 (Rs 4.5 lakh).

### 3. Where did this fraud take place?
The fraud occurred in Darmaha Panchayat under Kalyanpur block in East Champaran district of Bihar.

### 4. How was the embezzlement carried out?
Funds were drawn in the names of living people, and individuals in the APL (Above Poverty Line) category who were ineligible received benefits meant exclusively for BPL families.

### 5. Who ordered the investigation?
The inquiry was conducted by DRDA Director Kundan Kumar on orders from the District Magistrate, following a formal demand by local MLA Shalini Mishra.

### 6. What action will be taken after the investigation report?
The investigation report has been submitted to the District Magistrate, and further administrative action is expected to follow.

### 7. Has East Champaran seen similar corruption before?
Yes, a controversy over culvert construction without connecting roads in Kesaria and Patahi had come to light recently before this new case emerged.

### 8. Could the total fraud be larger than what has been confirmed so far?
Questions are being raised about whether a broader audit of other panchayats in the district could reveal the total misappropriated amount runs into crores rather than lakhs.

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