Bhopal Scam: Retired Railways Staff Duped with Fake Silver Coins Worth ₹90 Lakh

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In a shocking case of deception, retired staff of the Indian Railways in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, have been duped with fake silver coins that were valued at ₹2,500 each. The coins, meant as a memento for their years of service, were actually made of copper with a mere 0.23% silver content. The scam, which has come to light, involves Indore-based firm M/s Viable Diamonds, which supplied 3,631 coins out of the ordered 3,640. According to reports, the firm allegedly defrauded the railways of ₹90 lakh by using mostly copper. The railways has since blacklisted the company. Following a complaint lodged by a retired official, DK Gautam, an investigation has been ordered by vigilance officials of the Western Central Railway. This is not the first time M/s Viable Diamonds has been linked to a similar fraud. In September 2025, a case was unearthed in Northern Railways' Lucknow division, where medals presented to employees were found to be fake, resulting in a loss of ₹30-40 lakh. The railways is currently investigating the incident and has sought the assistance of the Bajariya police station in making arrests. The incident has left the retired staff feeling cheated, with one of them saying, 'We thought this was a memento of the department, but when we found out it was copper, we felt cheated. This is an insult.' The railways is working to rectify the situation and ensure that justice is served.