Chandigarh: In a stern judicial order, the Punjab & Haryana High Court has refused to grant anticipatory (pre-arrest) bail to two senior officials of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, in connection with a high-profile ₹12 crore scam involving fake work orders, alleged forgery of public records, and large-scale corruption and misuse of public office.
The bench, led by Justice Sumeet Goel, underscored the serious nature of the offences and emphasised that corruption by public servants undermines public trust in governmental institutions.
Background of the Punjab Fake Work Orders Scam
The case traces back to a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Faridabad, in August 2025. The FIR accused the municipal officials of participating in a complex conspiracy involving inflating costs on public works and fabricating official documents in the process.
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According to court filings, the investigation revealed that 13 fake work orders were prepared in 2018 for laying interlocking tiles in Faridabad. Although the original cost estimate for these projects was approximately ₹72.75 lakh, the documents fraudulently inflated the figure to a staggering ₹12.18 crore without any actual issuance of work orders or execution of the work.
Punjab High Court’s Reasoning on Punjab Fake Work Orders Scam
During the hearing, the High Court emphasised that offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 inherently involve serious and grave misconduct and should be approached with caution at the pre-arrest bail stage.
The bench observed that corruption by public servants is not merely an offence against an individual but an offence against society at large, eroding public confidence in administration.
Justice Goel also pointed out that economic offences that involve forgery, manipulation of public records, and criminal breach of trust strike at the core of public administration, making custodial interrogation essential for investigation. The court rejected arguments that the case relied solely on documentary evidence and that custodial questioning was unnecessary.
Allegations: Forged Documents and Inflated Estimates
Details presented in court show that forged documents, fabricated dispatch numbers, and manipulated records were allegedly used to process and clear payments for non-existent work.
These actions, the prosecution argued, resulted in a wrongful loss of public funds exceeding ₹12 crore and provided unlawful gains to the contractor involved — all facilitated with the active involvement of municipal officials, including the petitioners.
The officials had contended that their roles were strictly clerical and procedural, claiming no involvement in issuing work orders, technical sanctions, or project execution. However, the state opposed the anticipatory bail application, asserting that evidence indicated active participation and abuse of official authority.
Fake Work Orders Scam; Legal Charges and Sections Invoked
The FIR includes offences under several key provisions:
- Criminal Conspiracy
- Forgery
- Cheating
- Criminal Breach of Trust
- Sections 7 & 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
These charges reflect how the case combines traditional criminal offences with statutory anti-corruption violations to create a comprehensive prosecution strategy.
What are the Implications of Fake Work Orders Scam
The court’s decision reflects a broader effort by Indian courts to adopt a strict stance on corruption, especially when public funds and administrative integrity are at stake. By refusing anticipatory bail, the High Court affirmed judicial recognition of the corrosive impact of corruption on public confidence in governance and the need for judicial vigilance in economic offence cases.
