ED attaches Rs 5.37 crore of ex-Sironj Janpad CEO Shobhit Tripathi in scheme case
The ED has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 5.37 crore in a PMLA case over Rs 30.18 crore it alleges was wrongly paid out under Madhya Pradesh's Marriage Assistance Scheme.
Key points
- The ED's Bhopal office has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 5.37 crore under the PMLA in a Marriage Assistance Scheme case.
- The ED alleges Rs 30.18 crore was approved and paid in 5,923 suspicious cases between 2019 and November 2021 at Janpad Panchayat, Sironj.
- A provisional attachment must be confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority; the ED says further investigation is in progress.
Shobhit Tripathi, former Chief Executive Officer of Janpad Panchayat, Sironj, in Madhya Pradesh, and an associate face a provisional attachment of properties worth Rs 5.37 crore by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency said on 30 October 2026. The ED alleges that Rs 30.18 crore of government money was approved and disbursed in 5,923 suspicious cases under the state's Marriage Assistance Scheme.
What Happened
The scheme, run by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, pays Rs 51,000 to the daughters of registered poor construction workers. According to the ED, during his tenure as CEO from 2019 till November 2021, the official, in collusion with others, allegedly approved and disbursed Rs 30.18 crore in 5,923 suspicious cases.
The ED's case is based on an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal, under Sections 420 and 409 read with 120-B of the IPC and Sections 13(1)(e) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The ED alleges that forged and fabricated application forms and the credentials of ineligible beneficiaries were used, and that money was paid into bank accounts opened in their names without their knowledge, then withdrawn in cash in several tranches. The agency also alleges that benefits were given during the COVID-19 lockdown, when public marriages were prohibited.
The attached immovable properties are in the names of the former CEO and an associate, the ED said. He was arrested under the PMLA on 2 September 2026 and is in judicial custody. These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues.
What It Means
A provisional attachment stops the owner from selling or transferring the property while the case goes on. It must be confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA before it becomes final. The ED says further investigation is in progress.
The case concerns money meant for construction workers' families. Anyone asked for a bribe to get a government benefit can report it to the state anti-corruption bureau; Oquilia's guide to every state's helpline is at https://www.oquilia.com/report-a-bribe.
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Named in this report, or spotted an error? Corrections and responses: editor@oquilia.com. We correct errors promptly and record responses from named parties.
Sources & Citations
- Enforcement Directorate press release — Enforcement Directorate