The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed chargesheets against three former officials of the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) in connection with a wider probe into alleged financial irregularities involving government construction projects in Uttarakhand.
The investigation covers six cases registered at Nehru Colony police station in Dehradun. According to the latest development, the SIT has completed its investigation in five cases, while one case is still pending.
The chargesheets name former project managers Shiv Asare Sharma and Pradeep Kumar Sharma, along with former Assistant Accounts Officer Level-2 Virendra Kumar Ravi.
The broader investigation concerns alleged misuse and non-adjustment of funds released for government projects before the 2018-19 financial period.
ITI Projects Form One Part of the Investigation
One of the cases examined by investigators relates to funds released for the construction of government Industrial Training Institute (ITI) buildings in Uttarakhand.
The state Skill Development and Employment Department had reportedly sanctioned ₹15.17 crore for 15 ITI projects. While nine buildings were completed, work at six locations could not begin because the required land was unavailable.
The six locations were Basukedar, Chirbatia, Badave, Thal, Gangolihat and Kathpudiyachina.
According to the complaint, approximately ₹6 crore allocated to these six projects was allegedly used for works associated with other departments instead of being properly adjusted or returned.
Importantly, this ₹6-crore amount represents the ITI-related component and should not be treated as the entire ₹130-crore figure cited in the wider investigation.
Why the Probe Covers Around ₹130 Crore
The larger figure relates to multiple project-related allegations rather than one single construction project.
The six FIRs registered in February 2025 reportedly included allegations concerning several project heads. These included around ₹4.28 crore associated with disaster-relief centres where land was reportedly unavailable, approximately ₹1.59 crore involving Uttarakhand Tourism Department works, and ₹9.93 crore connected with the OPD block of Doon Medical College.
Another allegation involved around ₹5.62 crore related to street-light structure repairs and ABC conductor work.
A separate case reportedly involved alleged irregularities of approximately ₹109.71 crore.
Together, these separate allegations formed the basis for the broader figure of around ₹130 crore.
Departmental Inquiry Preceded the Police Cases
The criminal investigation followed an internal review conducted by UPRNN.
Additional Project Manager Sunil Kumar Malik reportedly submitted complaints at Nehru Colony police station after the departmental inquiry identified alleged financial irregularities and issues relating to the accounting of project funds.
Five retired officials were initially named across the six FIRs. Apart from Shiv Asare Sharma, Pradeep Kumar Sharma and Virendra Kumar Ravi, the names of accountant Ram Prakash Gupta and resident engineer Satish Kumar Upadhyay also appeared in the cases.
Pradeep Kumar Sharma was reportedly named in five cases, while Shiv Asare Sharma and Virendra Kumar Ravi appeared in three cases each. Gupta was named in two, and Upadhyay in one.
The latest chargesheets, however, concern the three former officials named by the SIT.
SIT Investigated the Movement of Project Funds
A major focus of the investigation was how funds sanctioned for particular projects were allegedly transferred or used for other works.
In the ITI-related cases, investigators examined the circumstances in which construction could not begin because land was unavailable, while money released under those project heads was allegedly moved elsewhere.
The SIT examined departmental documents, project records and information relating to the movement and adjustment of funds.
The investigation was transferred to the SIT after Dehradun police handed over the cases in February 2025.
Chargesheets Filed in Five Cases
The SIT has completed its investigation in five of the six cases and submitted the chargesheets before the court.
One investigation remains underway.
Police have reportedly applied provisions dealing with criminal breach of trust and conspiracy against the three former officials.
A chargesheet represents the investigating agency's allegations and the material it has placed before the court. It is not itself a judicial finding of guilt. The accused will have the opportunity to contest the allegations during the legal proceedings.
What the Case Says About Government Project-Fund Management
The investigation also highlights the importance of financial controls when a government project cannot proceed as originally planned.
When land is unavailable or a sanctioned project is delayed, funds generally need to be handled through authorised processes, including formal adjustment, reallocation or return.
If money is allegedly moved to unrelated works without proper approval or documentation, investigators may need to establish the destination and purpose of those funds.
This is why the probe has focused not only on expenditure but also on the authorisation, accounting and movement of government project funds.
The case also demonstrates how Financial Investigation can involve tracing transactions across multiple projects and determining whether financial movements were properly authorised and documented.
The Key Development
The ₹130-crore figure in the investigation represents allegations spread across several government projects and should not be interpreted as the amount involved in the ITI component alone.
The latest development is the SIT's filing of chargesheets against three former UPRNN officials in five cases, while investigation into the sixth case continues.
The matter will now proceed through the judicial process, where the allegations and evidence presented by investigators can be examined by the court.