SOLAN, HIMACHAL PRADESH: A case involving alleged large-scale fraud in the supply of construction material for a highway project has surfaced in Nalagarh, Solan district, putting a former legislator’s son, a construction company and officials who served in the National Highways and Mining Departments under the scanner.
The case centres on the alleged use of forged mining documents to show the lawful transportation of construction material during work on six culverts along the Nalagarh–Swarghat road. According to the complaint and reports of the preliminary investigation, a fake website resembling the Mining Department’s online system was allegedly used to generate around 2,500 counterfeit M-forms, raising concerns over the verification of material supplies and the possible loss of government royalty revenue.
The FIR names Ankit Thakur, who is identified in reports as the owner of Ruhani Stone Crusher and son of former Nalagarh MLA K.L. Thakur, along with M/s Ganpati Bharat Private Limited and other persons, including officials who were posted in the National Highways and Mining Departments at the relevant time.
The allegations have not been established in court, and the registration of an FIR does not establish the guilt of any accused.
Complaint Triggers Police Investigation
The matter came to light after complainant Mohan Sharma approached the state government with allegations of irregularities in the documentation of construction-material supplies. Following directions from the Director General of Police, a Deputy Superintendent of Police from Parwanoo conducted an investigation into the complaint.
Reports indicate that the preliminary inquiry examined the allegations concerning the authenticity of mining forms and their use in connection with the highway construction work. Following the inquiry, a case was registered at Nalagarh police station.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Baddi, Sanjeev Bhatia, confirmed the registration of the FIR and said further investigation was underway. The police are examining the alleged irregularities and attempting to establish the roles of the persons involved, including whether others were connected to the suspected operation.
Fake M-Forms at the Centre of the Case
M-forms are associated with the documentation and movement of mining material. Their authenticity is important for checking whether construction supplies have been transported and accounted for in accordance with applicable rules.
In the Nalagarh case, the complaint alleges that a counterfeit website was created to generate mining forms that appeared to validate the movement of material used in the construction project. Investigators are required to establish how the website was operated, who generated and used the documents, and whether the relevant records were accepted during the verification of supplies.
The alleged use of approximately 2,500 fake forms has also raised questions about the procedures followed to check mining documentation and ensure that government royalties were properly accounted for. The exact financial loss, however, should be treated as an allegation until it is established through the investigation and supporting financial records.
Role of Officials and Contractors Under Scrutiny
The inclusion of former National Highways and Mining Department officials in the case adds an administrative dimension to the investigation. Police will need to determine whether the alleged documents passed through official verification procedures and whether any individual knowingly facilitated or overlooked irregularities.
The investigation may also clarify the respective responsibilities of the construction company, material suppliers and officials involved in the project. At this stage, the precise role of each named person and the extent of any financial loss remain matters for investigation.
With the FIR registered, the police are continuing their inquiry to identify any additional persons who may have been involved and to establish the chain through which the allegedly forged documents were created and used.
The case has brought renewed attention to the need for reliable digital verification of mining documents, transparent accounting of construction materials and effective monitoring of public infrastructure projects. The outcome of the investigation will be important in determining whether the alleged fraud occurred as described in the complaint and who, if anyone, should be held legally accountable.
