BENGALURU: A suspected fake procurement scam has surfaced at the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), with employees allegedly creating fraudulent supply receipts and bills in the name of M/s Bani Auto Industries through Gajanana Engineering Works, despite spare parts never being delivered to a central workshop. The bills were forwarded to the accounts section for payment, with the intention of causing financial loss to the corporation for personal gain.
The scam involved fake invoices worth Rs 2.45 lakh intended for payment clearance. Sources said a vigilance inquiry found that employees allegedly created fabricated goods receipt records for spare parts that were never supplied to the corporation’s Central Workshop-1. Following an inquiry and disciplinary proceedings, seven BMTC staffers, from the corporation’s stores, workshop, accounts and vigilance-related sections were suspended until further investigation.
The receipts linked to a private firm were generated in the goods receipt section despite no entry or acknowledgement of the materials at the workshop gate office, the source added while also alleging that fake receipt numbers and invoices were prepared to process payments for non-existent supplies.
The suspected scam involved coordination between a few BMTC staff and external representatives linked to the supplier firm. It is being examined whether the company was used as a front to generate fake invoices and procurement records.
Spare parts were allegedly supplied to the warehouse under a benami company. The officials found that the mobile number mentioned in the company’s letterhead reportedly belonged to one of the employees, who has a key role in the scam. “Leaving him, the other employees were made the scapegoat,” the source said.
“Action is initiated internally by BMTC,” BMTC Managing Director Sivakumar K B said.