What happened
In February 2014, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved ₹21.70 crore to upgrade 22 km of road from Satheri to Chepokita in Phek District under the Central Road Fund. Twelve years later, the Comptroller and Auditor General tabled its report in the Nagaland State Legislature on March 26, 2026, finding that ₹5.86 crore had been paid for work that was never actually done. The Sub-Divisional Officer had entered fictitious measurements in official Measurement Books. The Executive Engineer had approved those measurements. Incorrect Utilisation Certificates were then submitted to the Ministry to claim funds in excess of actual expenditure. The CAG flagged violations of Paragraphs 341 and 101 of the Nagaland PWD Code, which require supervisors to verify that work exists before certifying that it does. The project is still listed as a road upgrade. Satheri and Chepokita remain 22 km apart.