Postal fraud complaint in Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri

Darjeeling: Deposits to the tune of Rs 60 lakh made by pensioners and villagers in post offices of Jhaldhaka in Kalimpong district and Chamurchi in Jalpaiguri district have been embezzled allegedly by a sub postmaster.

Sources said the postal department had registered a police complaint against Gagan Rai and Banarhat police station in Jalpaiguri district. Rai was posted at Jhaldhaka Hydel Project Post Office in Kalimpong district and Banarhat.

Inspector of postal department, Seema Gurung, started investigating the case.

"She called up Gagan Rai who was posted in Jhaldhaka but he did not take calls. The officer went to the post office at Jhaldhaka on May 2 but it was found that Rai had been absconding since April 27," said a source.

Preliminary investigation by the department suggests that amount to the tune of Rs 49 lakh involving around 70 account holders were embezzled at Jhaldhaka and another Rs 10 lakhs at Chamurchi.

Rai, is a resident of Jhaldhaka.

"The modus operand was simple. Since the post office did not have superior officers, he would accept the cash, put the signature and stamp on the passbook but the same would not be acknowledged in the post office's ledger," said a source.

Subash Darnal, superintendent, Jalpaiguri postal division, admitted that some anomalies had come to their notice.

"As per the department rules in such cases, every penny will be returned with interest but this may take time as we have to look into every transaction of every account holder," said Darnal.

The Telegraph