A serious case of fraud has come to light within Indian Railways, after special coins given to retired railway employees as a mark of respect were found to be fake.

These coins were officially described as gold-plated silver medals. However, laboratory tests have revealed that they were mostly made of copper, with only a very small amount of silver present.

The discovery has raised strong concerns about procurement processes, quality checks, and the emotional impact on thousands of employees who spent decades serving the Railways.

TK Gautam, a former Chief Loco Inspector, received the coin after retiring from the West Central Railway. He proudly displayed it in his home, believing it stood for a lifetime of hard work.

"These coins were earlier minted by the government mint. They stood for something," he said. "Now every retired employee is anxious, wondering if even their honour was fake."

That fear soon turned into shock when test reports confirmed that the coins were not silver at all.

Hasrat Jahan, who retired from the Bhopal Coach Factory in January 2025 after 36 years of service, said the news deeply hurt her.

"We were told it was 99 per cent silver," she said. "Now the Railways themselves have filed an FIR saying it is copper. I feel betrayed. This was meant to be a mark of respect for our service."

Laboratory tests later confirmed that the coins contained only 0.23 per cent silver, with the rest being copper.

The coins were purchased by the West Central Railway’s General Stores Depot in Bhopal. A purchase order was issued on January 23, 2023, to an Indore-based firm, M/s Viable Diamonds, for 3,640 coins.

A total of 3,631 coins were supplied, each weighing 20 grams. They were meant to be made of silver and coated with gold. The cost of each coin ranged between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,200.

The supply also came with an inspection certificate from RITES.

After doubts were raised, the Railway Vigilance Department sent the coins for testing at an NABL-accredited laboratory and a government lab. Both reports confirmed the same result: the coins were almost entirely copper.

Based on the cost and quantity, officials believe the Railways may have suffered a loss of around Rs 2,200 per coin, which could add up to a multi-crore amount.

Confirming the action taken, West Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Harshit Srivastava said irregularities were found during testing.

He said the remaining coins are being seized, the supplier has been blacklisted, and an FIR has been registered in Bhopal.
"A joint investigation is underway, and action will be taken after it is complete," he said.

This case is no longer only about financial loss. For many retired employees, it is about trust and dignity.

What was meant to honour years of public service has instead become a painful reminder that even symbols of respect can be damaged by corruption.