In a surprise move, the Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) police detained whistle-blower platoon commander of Home Guard, Rajeev Kumar, claiming that he was involved in the fire incident at Home Guard office.
SSP of Noida, Vaibhav Krishna, claimed that Kumar had confessed to the crime and claimed that he had burnt the files to delay action against senior Home Guard officials involved in large-scale irregularities and harassment of whosoever tried to create obstacle in their way.
Further investigations are on in the matter.
Sources said that during questioning by Noida police, Rajeev Kumar is reported to have said that he was posted as platoon commander in Noida since 2009 and was shocked to see how officers were minting money through irregularities in muster roll.
Rajeev Kumar reportedly told the police that he tried to bring the irregularities to the knowledge of his seniors, who asked him to mind his own duty. He said that he complained in this regard to then district commandant and other senior officers but while no action was taken, the officers started harassing him.
During 2019 parliamentary elections also, a large number of home guards were deployed in other districts for election duty. He revealed that the advance allowances and other expenses paid to the personnel were also not paid to them and instead siphoned off by the seniors.
Rajeev said that he opposed it and in one district, he also made a complaint in this regard to reserve inspector and Election Commission official but no action was taken. Instead, he was threatened with dire consequences and asked to keep quiet. 
Rajeev claimed that finding no one was willing to listen to the complaints, he finally informed SSP of Noida, Vaibhav Krishna, about the muster roll irregularities after which the scam was exposed. He confessed of gross irregularities in the muster roll prepared by him.
He further said that even after the local police found Home Guard Divisional Commandant Ram Narayan Chaurasia (earlier District Commandant, HG District Noida), Assistant Company Commander Satish, platoon commanders Montu, Satveer and Shailendra involved in the scam, the government did not give permission to lodge a report against them.
Rajeev reportedly said that on finding that the seniors were protecting the accused, he decided to burn the documents so that the government would take cognisance and the accused would be arrested. He said that his plan worked as a day after the fire, Noida police registered a case and arrested some errant officials.
After the fire gutted important documents related to attendance log of Home Guards personnel since 2014 and bunglings in the muster roll of Home Guard at District Commandant’s office at Noida on November 18,
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reacted strongly and sought a detailed report from Principal Secretary (Home Guards) and Director General (Home Guards) in two days. Only after the Chief Minister’s direction, senior officers acted and to date, several officers have been arrested and large-scale irregularities have been exposed across the state.