The police have booked five India Post officials, including postmasters and clerks from three different sub post offices in Dighi Camp, Dhanori and Dunkirk Line in Vimannagar area. (Representational)Pune police are investigating malpractices by several India Post officials who allegedly siphoned off the agent’s commission on over 300 Term Deposit (TD) investments between 2014 and 2020. The police said that the probe was launched following an internal inquiry by India Post authorities who unearthed the malpractices.
Two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) in this regard have been registered at Vishrantwadi and Vimantal police stations on Friday based on complaints filed by India Post officials. The police have booked five India Post officials, including postmasters and clerks from three different sub post offices in Dighi Camp, Dhanori and Dunkirk Line in Vimannagar area. No arrests have been made in the case till now.
An officer from Vishrantwadi police station said, “India Post gives 0.5 per cent commission per year to the agents on the TD investments brought in by them. Primary information suggests that these accused India Post officials misrepresented the TD investments directly received from people as those received through agents. The accused India Post employees siphoned off these commission amounts to their own accounts thus defrauding the department. An internal inquiry brought to light the alleged fraud and the post officials approached us with a complaint. Further probe will bring to light the extent of the malpractices and possible involvement of more suspects.”
In the case registered at Vishrantwadi police station, four post officials are accused of siphoning commission of Rs 18.35 lakh on TD investments of Rs 9.62 crore by around 275 people for various durations from 2018. In the case registered at Vimantal police station, two officials are accused of siphoning off a commission of Rs 4.95 lakh on TD investments of Rs 2.47 crore by around 60 people for various durations from 2014.
Meanwhile, a third FIR has been lodged at Vimantal police station for alleged malpractices to the tune of Rs 45,000 in recurring deposit and Sukanya Samruddhi scheme investments of 19 people between 2014 and 2018.