Corruption Exposed: 1 Wall, 4 Liters of Paint — But 168 Laborers and 65 Masons Claimed!
A shocking case of corruption has come to light where a simple wall that required just 4 liters of paint was allegedly painted by 168 laborers and 65 masons, according to official records.
#News Bureau July 5,2025
Just One Wall. 4 Liters of Paint. But 168 Laborers and 65 Masons?
Sounds bizarre, right? This strange case of alleged corruption has surfaced from a government high school in Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh—ruled by the BJP. The matter involves the painting of a single wall, which reportedly required just 4 liters of oil paint. Yet, an official bill was raised for ₹1,06,984, claiming the involvement of 168 laborers and 65 masons.
Even more shocking, the bill was approved by the District Education Officer (DEO) without any inquiry or verification.
According to media reports, the alleged scam took place at Sakandi High School in Shahdol district. The school purchased 4 liters of oil paint for ₹784 (₹196 per liter). To apply this small amount of paint, records claim that 168 laborers were paid ₹67,200 and 65 masons received ₹39,000, bringing the total cost to ₹1,06,984 for a job that could’ve been done by one person in a few hours.
Even more bizarre, the bill issued by Sudhakar Construction was dated May 5, 2025, but the school principal had already verified and approved it on April 4, 2025—a full month before it was even created.
20 Liters of Paint = 275 Laborers + 150 Masons?
A similar case was reported at Higher Secondary School, Nipaniya in the same region. There, 20 liters of paint supposedly required 275 laborers and 150 masons, with a bill totaling ₹2,31,650. Again, the contractor named in both cases is Sudhakar Construction.
Reports suggest that much of the work shown in these records was never actually done, and the whole operation appears to be paperwork manipulation for fund misappropriation.
Public Outrage and Sarcasm on Social Media
After images of the bills went viral, social media erupted in outrage and disbelief. Congress leader Kunal Chaudhary posted:
“In Madhya Pradesh, corruption is no longer a disease—it’s a culture. 168 laborers and 65 masons for just 4 liters of paint? This isn’t a coat of paint—it’s a whitewash on the honesty of the entire system.”
District Education Officer Responds
District Education Officer Phool Singh Marpachhi stated that an investigation is currently underway.
According to an NDTV report, he said, “I became aware of this issue through social media. I will ensure a proper investigation is conducted and take necessary action.”
However, the school principal declined to give a clear response on the matter.
Investigation Ordered, But Questions Remain
According to media reports, the Shahdol District Collector has appointed the SDM of Beohari to lead the inquiry.
Initial findings confirmed that the work mentioned in the bills was not actually carried out on site.
But this raises a bigger question: How were such blatantly fraudulent bills approved in the first place?
Was it merely administrative negligence — or is there a larger network of corruption at play?
On social media, many users have pointed to this case as yet another symbol of the deep-rooted corruption and decline of the education system in Madhya Pradesh.
