A major discrepancy involving the disappearance of precious metal from a public sector manufacturing facility has come to light in Gurugram. The solar cell unit operated by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited uses silver during the manufacturing process, and a massive shortfall in the inventory has triggered a formal investigation by the central anti-corruption agency. Authorities have named two specific officials in the initial police report.
The staggering gap between records and physical stock has raised serious questions regarding the internal monitoring mechanisms of the organization. According to official documents, the facility maintained a stock of roughly 35.6 kilograms of silver between 2016 and 2020. This material was stored in the form of silver targets and recyclable scrap. However, when a physical inspection was conducted on February 6, 2024, only 6.23 kilograms of the metal remained in the secure locker, leaving a massive unexplained deficit of 31.65 kilograms. Investigators estimate the value of the missing material to be around 71 lakh rupees.
The inquiry further revealed that annual physical verifications of the vault were regularly conducted until 2018. According to agency findings, regular inspections stopped after Dr. Bharat Kumar Pant took charge as the head of the plant in 2019. While the stock continued to reflect on paper, physical checks were neglected, which investigators believe allowed the material to be siphoned off gradually over an extended period without detection.
Preliminary findings indicate not just a shortage of the material, but also missing inventory verification reports and stock registers for several years. The facility lacked a proper system to record the consumption, movement, and security of the precious metal. Investigators note that this laxity in oversight created an environment where material could be removed without proper authorization.
A crucial turning point in the timeline involves an inspection conducted on March 31, 2022. Records from that period confirmed the presence of the entire 35.6 kilograms of silver, which was subsequently placed under the watch of the material management section. However, when the vault was opened during the February 2024 check, only a fraction of the inventory was recovered.
The agency has named Ashish Kumar, the then manager and in-charge of the material management section, along with additional general manager and plant head Dr. Bharat Kumar Pant, in the formal complaint. Three other personnel are also facing scrutiny, including finance and human resource manager Ajay Yadav, manager Vinayan Bhardwaj, and engineer Ajay Kumar. Officials stated that statements provided by these individuals contained several contradictions regarding key possession and record availability.
The formal charges invoked in the case include criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, criminal breach of trust by a public servant, and provisions under the prevention of corruption act. The matter is currently under active investigation, and the final determination of guilt will depend on the judicial proceedings conducted before a court of law.
