List of scandals in India

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The following is a list of alleged scams and scandals in India since independence. These include political, financial, corporate and others. Entries are arranged in reverse chronological order by year. The year is the one in which the alleged scam was first reported or came into knowledge of public.

Notable scandals

Notable scandals in India
Scandal	Year reported	Scope INR Crore	Location	Key players	Summary
Saradha Group financial scandal	2013	30,000	West Bengal	Kunal Ghosh,Sudipto Sen, Madan Mitra and many more[1][2][3]	Financial scam caused by the collapse of a Ponzi scheme run by Saradha Group, a consortium of over 200 private companies that was believed to be running collective investment schemes popularly but incorrectly referred to as chit funds.[4][5][6][7]
Vyapam Scam	2013	NA	Madhya Pradesh	Laxmikant Sharma, Dr. Vinod Bhandari, O. P. Shukla, Pankaj Trivedi, Sudhir Sharma, C. K. Mishra, Nitin Mahendra, Dr. Jagdish Sagar	A massive admission and recruitment scam involving politicians, senior officials and businessmen. In November 2013, the Special Task Force (STF) of Madhya Pradesh police made a shocking revelation that Vyapam officials rigged five more recruitment tests for government jobs in the state.
Indian coal allocation scam[8]	2012	185,591	National	Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the coal ministry, many electricity boards and private companies	coal blocks allotted, not auctioned, leading to estimated losses as per the Comptroller and Auditor General of India[9][10][11] Supreme Court cancels all 214 coal blocks allocations since 1993. Government to e-auction the coal blocks now.[12]
Uttar Pradesh NRHM scam	2012	10,000	Uttar Pradesh	Mayawati, Babu Singh Kushwaha	Babu Singh Kushwaha and IAS Pradeep Shukla behind bars fror their involvement in NHRM scam.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]
2G scam	2008	176,000	National	Nira Radia, A. Raja, M. K. Kanimozhi, many telecommunications companies	communication bandwidth auctioned for lower than market value.A. Raja and M. K. Kanimozhi have been in Tihar Jail for 15 months and 5 months respectively.They have been charge framed.[20][21]
Uttar Pradesh food grain scam	2003	35,000	Uttar Pradesh	Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati	Food which the government purchased to give to the poor was instead sold on the open market[22][23][24][25]

• Haryana Teachers' recruitment scam- Ex Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala (Indian National Lok Dal) and his son Ajay Singh Chautala (Indian National Lok Dal) have been convicted for 10 years in teacher recruitment scam^[26][27][28]
• Bihar fodder scam – 9.5 billion (US$150 million)- Bihar ex CMs Lalu Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Jagannath Mishra (ex-Indian National Congress) and Lok Sabha MP Jagdish Sharma (Janata Dal (United)) have been convicted in fodder scam. Lalu Prasad Yadav and Jagdish Sharma have also been disqualified from the parliament for corruption^{[29][30][31][32][33]}
• Commonwealth Games scam – 700 billion (US$11 billion)^[34][35][36]-Suresh Kalmadi (Indian National Congress) was in jail for 10 months for interrogation in Commonwealth games scam.
• Saradha Group financial scandal-Chit fund scam (Odisha and W.B)^[37][38]-Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh (All India Trinamool Congress) is in jail since Nov,2013 for interrogation. Odisha MP Ramchandra Hansda (Biju Janata Dal) MLA Pravat Tripathy (Biju Janata Dal) and former Odisha MLAs Subarna Naik (Biju Janata Dal)and Hitesh Kumar Bagarti (Bharatiya Janata Party) have also been arrested for ponzi scam. Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal Srinjay Bose (All India Trinamool Congress) has also been arrested.^[39]West Bengal transport minister and All India Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra was also arrested.^[40]
• MBBS seats scam- Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood (ex-Indian National Congress) is convicted for 4 years in MBBS seats scam. He is also disqualified from the parliament for corruption.^[26]
• Disproportionate asset case- MLA Baban Rao Gholap (Shiv Sena)- Gholap and his wife convicted for 3 years and he is disqualified from Maharastra assembly for corruption^[41]
• Cremation shed scam- Rajya Sabha MP T. M. Selvaganapathy (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) convicted for 2 years and disqualified from the parliament for corruption^[42][43]
• Power theft scandal-MLA Suresh Halwankar (Bharatiya Janata Party) and his brother Mahadev were sentenced to three years' imprisonment in a power theft case. Suresh Halwankar is disqualified from Maharastra assembly for corruption.^[44]
• Jalgaon housing scam-Former Maharashtra Housing Minister and Shiv Sena MLA Suresh Jain has been jailed since last 27 months.^[45]
• Disproportionate Asset case against Jayalalithaa^[46][47]/Jayalalithaa disproportionate asset case.^[48]Jayalalithaa (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs 100 crore.She has automatically been disqualified from the post of CM and legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu and is the first chief minister to be disqualified.^[49]
• Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy disproportionate asset case^[50][51]/Andhra Pradesh land scam – 1000 billion (US$16 billion)^[52]-Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy (YSR Congress Party) was in jail for 16 months for interrogation in disproportionate asset case.
• Madhu Koda disproportionate asset case^[53][54][55]- Madhu Koda was in jail for 40 months for interrogation in disproportionate asset case.
• Ex-Jharkhand Minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi disproportionate asset case^[56][57]/* Jharkhand medical equipment scam –^[58]
• DIAL Scam – Central government lost 1669.72 billion (US$27 billion) by undue favours to GMR-led DIAL. DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) is a consortium of the GMR Group (50.1%), Fraport AG (10%), Malaysia Airports (10%), India Development Fund (3.9%), and the Airports Authority of India (26%).^[59][60]
• Cash for Vote Scandal
• Scorpene deal scam^[61][62][63]/Navy War Room spy scandal
• The Satyam scam^[64]-Satyam chairman Ramalinga Raju sentenced to 7 years in jail and fined 5.5 crores^[65]
• Taj corridor scandal
• Hawala scandal
• Maharashtra Irrigation Scam – Loss of about 720 billion (US$11 billion).^[66] At present the matter is under the scanner of investigating / intelligence agencies of India.-Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare of the Nationalist Congress Party are the prime accused.
• Maharashtra Sadan Scam-Chhagan Bhujbal of the Nationalist Congress Party is the prime accused.^[67]
• SNC lavalin power project scam – 3.74 billion (US$59 million)^[68][69]
• Maharastra Adarsh Housing Society scam ^[70]
• Gegong Apang Public Distribution System|PDS] scam – 1000 (US$16)^[71][72][73]

2010s

2015

• Corporate espionage^[74]-Officials of reputed companies likeReliance Industries,Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group,Essar Group,Cairn India and Jubilant Energy are accused of stealing documents from Petroleum ministry^[75]

2014

• Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) scam^[76]-5000 crores-FIRs have been registered against GVK (conglomerate) and Airports Authority of India officials for cheating and forgery.^[77] The project was deliberately delayed by 3 years to pass 5000 crores undue benefit to GVK (conglomerate).
• Aavin scam - adulteration of milk supplied from various societies of Tamil Nadu state milk union, resulting in a scam estimated to be 27 lakhs per day for 10 years.^[78] The investigating agencies then traced the owner of the truck to be Vaidyanathan and arrested him in Chennai.^[79][80][80]
• SmartCity, Kochi scam- JV between Government of Kerala and TECOM Investments a subsidiary of Dubai Holding^{[81][82][83][84]}
• Cash fo MLC seat scam-ExChief Minister of Karnataka and Janata Dal (Secular) floor leader H.D. Kumaraswamy ^[85][86]
• Leader Of Opposition in the Goa state assembly and ex Chief Minister of Goa Pratapsingh Rane bribery case-^[87][88]
• Haryana& Rajasthan illegal mining in Aravalli Range mountains^[89][90]
• Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority or SJDA scam, West Bengal-200 crores^[91]
• Reliance Jio spectrum auction rigging scam-^[92][93]
• Odisha Industrial land mortgage scam-52000 crores^[94][95][96]
• The National Herald (India) Land Scam^[97][98]
• Vyapam Scam - India's biggest medical education scam unearthed in Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently, many Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders were arrested.
• Madhya Pradesh state Farmers Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Gauri Shankar Chaturbhuj Bisen disproportionate assets case-2000 crores^[99][100]
• Hari Kumar Jha,1987 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer,disproportionate assets case-15 crore^[101][102]
• Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) unaccounted cash case-34 crores^[103][104]
• Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA)discretionary quota plot scam^[105][106]
• Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia land grabbing case^[107]
• Madhya Pradesh State Joint Director-Industries,R.C. Kuriel, disproportionate assets case^[108][109]
• Mayank Jain,1995 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, disproportionate assets case^{[110][111][112]}
• Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB) arbitrary lease allotment of property.^[113][114]
• HPCA illegal land allotments scandal^[115][116]-Prem Kumar Dhumal and Anurag Thakur have been chargesheeted in HPCA scam.
• Indian Railways-Railtel Corporation of India mobile scam-^[117]
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Rolls-Royce defense scam-10,000 crores^[118]
• Air India Family Fare Scheme scam^[119]
• Bokaro Steel Plant recruitment scam^[120][121]
• Gujarat arbitrary land allotments scandal^[122]
• Kribhco and fertilizer giantYara International fertilizer fraud controversy.^[123][124]
• Delhi Jal Board scam-10,000 crores^[125][126]
• Indian Railways "emergency quota" tickets scam^[127]
• Siddhartha Mehrotra (Grocery Scam, Gurgaon)

2013

• Virbhadra Singh bribery controversy-2.4 crores^{[128][129][130][131]}
• Madhya Pradesh Pre medical test scam^{[132][133][134]}
• Madhya Pradesh wheat procurement scam- 4 crores-Payments worth 4 crores have been made for fake wheat procurement from farmers.^[135]
• Madhya Pradesh IAS couple Arvind Joshi and Tinoo Joshi disproportionate assets case ^[136]
• Gurgaon Toll plaza scam-operated by DSC Ltd.^[137]
• EPFO(Employee Provident Fund)scam^[138]
• Haryana seed scam-5 crore^[139]
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation-DGCA 'free ticket' scam^[140][141]
• LTC(Leave Travel Concession) Scam^{[142][143][144][145]}
• Radia tapes controversy^[146]
• NSEL Scam-5500 crores^[147]
• Railway iron ore freight scam-17000 crores^{[148][149][150]}
• Uttar Pradesh illegal sand mining^{[151][152][153]}
• Vodafone tax Scandal^[154] - involves Rs 11,000-crore^[155] tax dispute case in India. There were corruption charges on Kapil Sibal because of Law ministry's U-turn to agree to conciliation in Vodafone tax case^[156]
• Railway promotion scam^[157] - CBI booked Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew for allegedly accepting a bribe^[158][159] of Rs 90 lakh from a Railway Board member.
• 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting case-Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were banned for life from cricket.
• 2013 Kerala solar panel scam
• Odisha Land allotment Scam^[160][161]
• 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal^[162]

2012

• Granite scam in Tamil Nadu – Loss of about 160 billion (US$2.5 billion).^[163] At present the matter is under the scanner of investigating / intelligence agencies of India.^[164]
• Highway scam – 160 billion (US$2.5 billion)^{[165][166][167]}
• Kinetic Finance Limited Scam – Banks lost about 2 billion (US$32 million).^[168] At present the matter is under the scanner of investigating / intelligence agencies of India.
• Ultra Mega Power Projects Scam – Central government lost 290.33 billion (US$4.6 billion) due to undue favours to Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power.^[9][169]
• Forex derivates scam – 320 billion (US$5.1 billion)^[170][171]
• Service tax and Central Excise Duty fraud – 191.59 billion (US$3.0 billion) crore)^[172][173]
• Maharashtra stamp duty scam – 6.4 billion (US$100 million)^[174][175]
• Maharashtra land scam^{[176][177][178][179][180][181][182]}
• MHADA repair scam – 1 billion (US$16 million)^[183]
• Ministry of External Affairs gift scam^{[184][185][186]}
• Himachal Pradesh pulse scam^[187][188]
• Flying Club fraud – 1.9 billion (US$30 million)^[189]
• Andhra Pradesh liquor scam^[190][191]
• Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association scam – Approximately 500 million (US$7.9 million)^[192][193]
• Jammu and Kashmir PHE scam^[194]
• Jammu and Kashmir recruitment scam^[195]
• Jammu and Kashmir examgate^[196][197]
• Jammu and Kashmir dental scam^[198]
• Punjab paddy scam – 180 million (US$2.9 million)^[199][200]
• NHPC cement scam^[201]
• Haryana forest scam^{[202][203][204][205][206][207][208][209][210][211]}
• Girivan (Pune) land scam^[212] (not to be confused with Pune land scam which came to light during 2011)
• Toilet scam^[213][214]
• Uttar Pradesh stamp duty scam – 1200 crore (US$190 million)^[215]
• Uttar Pradesh horticulture scam – 700 million (US$11 million)^[216]
• Uttar Pradesh palm tree plantation scam – 550 million (US$8.7 million)^{[217][218][219]}
• Uttar Pradesh seed scam – 500 million (US$7.9 million)^[220][221]
• Uttar Pradesh elephant Memorial scam-1400 crores .^[222]
• Uttar Pradesh LACCFED scam-
• Patiala land scam – 2.5 billion (US$40 million)^{[223][224][225][226]}
• Tax refund scam – 30 million (US$480,000)^[227][228]
• Bengaluru Mayor's fund scam^[228]
• Ranchi real estate scam^[229]
• Delhi surgical gloves procurement scam^[230]
• Aadhar scam^{[231][232][232][233]}
• BEML housing society scam^{[234][235][236]}
• MSTC gold export scam – 4.64 billion (US$74 million)^[237]
• TIN scam^[238][239]
• Haryana Forest Development Corporation Cash Scam^[240]
• Nayagaon (Punjab) land scam^[241]

2011

• Bellary mining scam/Belekeri port scam^[242]
• Tatra scam – 7.5 billion (US$120 million)^[243][244]
• LIC housing loan scam
• NTRO scam – 8 billion (US$130 million)^{[245][246][247][248]}
• Goa mining scam^{[249][250][251]}
• Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike scam – 32.07 billion (US$510 million)^{[252][253][254][255]}
• Himachal Pradesh HIMUDA housing scam^[256][257]
• Pune housing scam^[258]
• Pune land scam^[259][260]
• Orissa pulse scam – 7 billion (US$110 million)^{[261][262][263][264]}
• Kerala investment scam – 10 billion (US$160 million)^[265]
• Mumbai Sales Tax fraud – 10 billion (US$160 million)^[266]
• Maharashtra education scam – 10 billion (US$160 million)^[267][268]
• Maharashtra PDS scam^[269][270]
• Uttar Pradesh TET scam^{[271][272][273]} Former Director of UP Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad Sanjay Mohan is prime accused.
• Uttar Pradesh MGNREGA scam^[274][275]
• Orissa MGNREGA scam^{[276][277][278]}
• Indian Air Force land scam^{[279][280][281]}
• Bihar Solar lamp scam – 400 million (US$6.3 million)^[282][283]
• BL Kashyap – EPFO scam – 1.69 billion (US$27 million)^[284][285]
• Assam Education scam^[286]
• Pune ULC scam^{[287][288][289]}

2010

• ISRO's S-band scam (also known as ISRO-Devas deal)200000 (US$3,200)^{[290][291][292][293][294]}-The deal was cancelled.
• Andhra Pradesh Emmar scam – 25 billion (US$400 million)^{[295][296][297][298]}
• Karnataka land scam^{[299][300][301]}
• Karnataka housing board scam-JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda swindled 35 crores, indicted by lokayukta^{[302][303][304][305]}
• Uttrakhand Citurgia land scam^[306][307]
• MCI bribery scandal^{[308][309][310]}--Ketan Desai is chargesheeted by CBI.^[311]
• Chandigarh booth scam^[312]
• Odisha illegal Mining Scam (Investigated by Shah Commission)- Rs 59,203 crore (2014)^{[313][314][315]}

2000s

2009

• Goa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) scam^[316][317]
• Rice export scam – 25 billion (US$400 million)^[68][318]
• Orissa paddy scam^[319][320]
• Sukhna land scam – Darjeeling^{[321][322][323][324]}-Lt. General Awadhesh Prakash court martialed by the army on corruption charges.
• Vasundhara Raje Deendayal Upadhyaya Trust land scam^[325]
• Austral Coke scam – 10 billion (US$160 million)^[326][327]
• Gujarat's VDSGCU Sugarcane scam – 187 million (US$3.0 million)^{[328][329][330]}

2008

• Hasan Ali black money controversy^{[331][332][333]}-Hasan Ali Khan is in jail since April 2011 for money laundering.
• State Bank of Saurashtra scam – 950 million (US$15 million)^[334][335]
• Army ration pilferage scam – 50 billion (US$790 million)^[336]-Lieutenant General SK Sahni jailed for 3 years.^[337]
• Paazee Forex scam – 8 billion (US$130 million)^[338][339]
• Cash-at-judge's door scam

2006

• Penny stock scam
• Punjab city centre project scam – 15 billion (US$240 million)^[68]
• Uttar Pradesh ayurveda scam – 260 million (US$4.1 million)^{[340][341][342][343]}

2004

• Taj Co-operative Group Housing Scheme scam – 40 billion (US$630 million)-IAS officer Narayan Divakar convicted for 2 years.^{[344][345][346]}
• IPO scam^{[347][348][349]}
• Bihar flood relief scam – 170 million (US$2.7 million)-Sadhu Yadav and others chargeframed.^[350][351]
• Oil for food scam-K. Natwar Singh had to resign from the Cabinet on December 6, 2005^[352]

2003

• HUDCO scam^[353]

2002

• Stamp paper scam – 200 billion (US$3.2 billion)^{[354][355][356]}- Abdul Karim Telgi jailed for 30 years.
• Provident Fund (PF) scam^[357][358]

2001

• Operation West End - It was done in order to make the murky defense deals public. The special correspondents of the magazine filmed several corrupt defense officials and politicians of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government including Bhartiya Janta Party. Bangaru Laxman, the BJP's president was sentenced to four year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of one lakh rupees was imposed as well.
• Ketan Parekh securities scam/UTI scam – 320 million (US$5.1 million)^[68]-Ketan Parekh convicted for two years.
• Calcutta Stock Exchange scam^[359]

2000

• India-South Africa match fixing scandal^[360]-Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja were banned from cricket for 5 years and 4 years respectively.

1990s

1997

• Jalgaon housing scam
• Cobbler scam^[361][362]
• Sheregar Scam^[363]
• Kerala ice cream parlour sex scandal

1996

• Sukh Ram telecom equipment scandal-Sukh Ram convicted for 3 years.^[364]
• C R Bhansali scam – 11 billion (US$170 million)^[365][366]
• Fertiliser import scam – 1.33 billion (US$21 million)^[367][368]

1995

• Meghalya forest scam – 3 billion (US$48 million)^[336]
• Preferential allotment scam – 50 billion (US$790 million)^[68]
• Yugoslav Dinar Scam – 4 billion (US$63 million)^[68]
• Purulia arms drop case

1994

• Sugar import scam^[369][370]

1992

• Harshad Mehta securities scam – 50 billion (US$790 million)^[371]
• Palmolein Oil Import Scam, Kerala
• Indian Bank scandal – 13 billion (US$210 million)^[360]

1990

• Airbus scandal^[352][360]

1980s

1989

• St Kitts forgery^[360]

1987

• Bofors scandal^[372]

1981

• Cement Scam involving A R Antulay – 300 million (US$4.8 million)^[360]

1970s

1976

• Kuo oil scandal – 22 million (US$350,000)^[371]

1974

• Maruti scandal^[360]

1971

• Nagarwala scandal – 6 million (US$95,000)

1960s

1965

• Kalinga tubes scandal^[371]

1964

• Pratap Singh Kairon scam^[373]

1960

• Teja loan scandal – 220 million (US$3.5 million)^[360]

1950s

1956

• BHU funds misappropriation – 5 million (US$79,000)^[360]

1951

• Cycle import scam^[374]
• The Mundhra scandal – 12 million (US$190,000)^[371]

1940s

• 1948 - Jeep scandal case^[374]

See also

References

Corruption in India Corruption Corruption in Indian politics List of scandals in India Anti-corruption activism India Against Corruption 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement 2012 Indian anti-corruption movement Swami Ramdev Anna Hazare Subramanian Swamy Arvind Kejriwal Kiran Bedi Legislation Existing Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 Prevention of Money Laundering Act Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 Right to Information Act The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 Proposed Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011 Right to Reject Right to Recall Other Indian black money Corruption Perceptions Index Licence Raj Mafia Raj