SRINAGAR: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has received a complaint alleging financial irregularities and involvement in hawala transactions against senior IPS officer Charu Sinha.
When contacted, CRPF Director General (DG) GP Singh confirmed to News18 that a complaint has been received by the headquarters. “A complaint has been received. It is being handled in accordance with established procedures especially the CVC guidelines. Further information may be collected about progress in due course,” the top CRPF officer said.
Charu Sinha, a 1996-batch IPS officer, has held several critical positions, including serving as the first woman Inspector General (IG) of the Srinagar Sector for the CRPF.
When News18 reached out to Charu Sinha for her comments on the allegations, she stated: “We do not respond to smear campaigns on internal WhatsApp groups. Please check who sent the complaint — whether it is anonymous or pseudonymous. Thank you.”
According to the complaint, Charu Sinha, IG, Southern Sector, allegedly invested Rs 10 crore in a shell company through hawala channels via an offshore entity in Singapore, utilising unaccounted funds, and subsequently invested the proceeds in mutual funds.
The complainant further alleged that Rs 6.55 crore from the mutual fund sale proceeds were used for personal purposes by Ms Sinha and her sisters during the financial year 2021-22. The complaint claims that the shell company, M/s Devic Earth Pvt Ltd, did not reflect this amount in its audited financial statements.
The complaint also claims that, from an accounting perspective, the Rs 6.55 crore sale consideration should have been reflected in the company’s balance sheet as cash or bank balance. However, the financial statements allegedly show only Rs 18,87,555 in total cash and cash equivalents. The complainant suggests that this discrepancy raises concerns regarding potential fund misappropriation.
Additionally, the complainant, who claims to be a Chartered Accountant, alleges that Sinha introduced a centralised ration procurement system for CRPF units in Srinagar, selecting vendors and suppliers of her choice, and received financial benefits in return.
Charu Sinha has served in multiple sensitive postings. Before her tenure in Srinagar, she was IG, Bihar Sector, where she oversaw anti-Naxal operations. Following her assignment in Naxal-affected areas, she was given charge of Srinagar, where she has been involved in various counter-terrorism operations conducted by the CRPF.
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has established guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability in governance, particularly in matters related to financial integrity. The complaint will be reviewed per these procedures. A senior CRPF official noted that, as per CVC guidelines, anonymous complaints cannot be formally processed but if it is not anonymous, action can be initiated. However, even if it is anonymous, an inquiry may be initiated if deemed necessary.
