• Source:JND

A fresh row has unfolded in Madhya Pradesh after coins presented to retired railway employees as service mementoes were found to be fake. The issue surfaced in Bhopal when several former staff members of the West Central Railway (WCR) tried to sell the silver coins they had received upon retirement. However, the silver coins gifted to retired railway staff have turned out to be fake.

A testing revealed that the coins contained just 0.23 per cent silver, with the remainder made largely of copper, raising serious questions about procurement and quality checks.

"We thought this was a memento of the department, but when we found out it was copper, we felt cheated. This is an insult," said DK Gautam, a retired railway official.

According to an Aaj Tak report, Gautam has filed a complaint at Bajariya Police Station in Bhopal. The West Central Railway has also ordered a vigilance inquiry into the matter.

Real Scam! What Happened?

Railway records show that an order for 3,640 commemorative coins was placed with an Indore-based firm, M/s Viable Diamonds, at a cost of Rs 2,500 per coin. The firm reportedly supplied 3,631 coins. Investigators suspect that the company used predominantly copper instead of silver, allegedly causing a loss of around Rs 90 lakh to the Railways. The firm has since been blacklisted.

Sub-Inspector Arvind Kumar Singh of Bajariya Police Station said he has sought detailed information from the Railways and indicated that arrests would follow once the necessary documents are reviewed.

Western Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Naval Agarwal confirmed that an internal investigation is under way. He added that the Railway Vigilance team has also submitted an application to the police.

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This is not the first time M/s Viable Diamonds has been linked to alleged irregularities involving the Railways. In September 2025, a similar case emerged in the Northern Railway’s Lucknow division.

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In that instance, medals awarded to employees for long service, safety performance, innovation and sporting achievements were found to be counterfeit. The fraud was detected at the General Store Depot in Alambagh, Lucknow, and was estimated to be worth between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh. The original medals were reportedly meant to be worth around Rs 1.3 crore.

Investigations in both cases are ongoing.


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