Post office scam: Embezzled funds cross Rs 1 crore, probe on

Kullu, February 9

The CBI investigation into the embezzlement of funds, deposited by the account holders, by a woman employee at the Sultanpur Post Office of Kullu is still on and the amount of embezzled funds has crossed Rs 1 crore. A team has also been formed by the Kullu Postal Department, which is also assisting in the probe.

In the first phase of investigation by the Postal Department, embezzlement of Rs 36.30 lakh was revealed between August last year and January. When the accounts of 100 other account holders were investigated, embezzlement of Rs 80 lakh more came to light. The accounts of depositors are still being checked in the post office and the amount of embezzled funds may increase further in the coming days.

Assistant Superintendent of Postal Department Manohar Lal said the investigation had so far revealed embezzlement of Rs 1.16 crore. Even after this, the investigation of passbooks was still going on. The department had suspended the employee posted in Sultanpur. The CBI has sought records from the Postal Department and the total amount will be known only after the scrutiny of all accounts.

Earlier, the CBI had conducted searches on the premises of the accused, Sub Postmaster Mamta Thakur, and an amount of Rs 2 lakh (approx) in cash and certain incriminating documents were recovered after which a case was registered.

There are around 6,000 account holders with savings accounts opened under different schemes in Sultanpur Post Office. So far, passbooks related to only around half of the accounts have been examined. In such a situation, it will take time to check all accounts.