Postmaster: Depositors fume as postmaster dupes them of ₹8 lakh | Bhubaneswar News
Rourkela: A woman postmaster of Kumjharia post office in Sundargarh district is on the run after allegedly duping around 80 depositors of about Rs 8 lakh. On Monday, irate depositors locked the current postmaster and peon in a room in the post office for seven hours demanding their deposited money back.
They were rescued by Birmitrapur police in the presence of assistant postal superintendent, Rourkela postal division, Tapas Kumar Perai, who assured the depositors that they would get their money within a month.
Kuntilata Ganju (35) was posted as branch postmaster of Kumajharia post office for about 10 years ago. Around 400 people of 11 villages under Kumjharia panchayat have opened their accounts in the post office under various schemes. The account holders used to give the money to Kuntilata to deposit in their account under different schemes but Kuntilata allegedly siphoned off the amount and is absconding since a month, sources said. When the sub-post office of Kuanrmunda did not get any details about deposits in Kumjharia post office last month from Kuntilata, they informed Rourkela postal division and Tapas Kumar Perai, assistant superintendent of Rourkela postal division, went to Kumjharia post office on May 14. They did not find Kuntilata there. He came to know about the financial fraud and Krushna Chandra Patra was posted as new branch postmaster. The matter came to light when some depositors came to the Kumajharia branch post office to withdraw money from their accounts but came to know that their money has not been deposited.
“The branch postmaster of Kumjharia post office, Kuntilata Ganju, has allegedly siphoned off about Rs 8 lakh of about 80 depositors over the last five years. We are verifying all the papers related to deposits of the depositors. She is now absconding,” said Perai.
“We have initiated a departmental enquiry against her and stringent action will be taken against her and against any other official if found involved,”said Perai.
They were rescued by Birmitrapur police in the presence of assistant postal superintendent, Rourkela postal division, Tapas Kumar Perai, who assured the depositors that they would get their money within a month.
Kuntilata Ganju (35) was posted as branch postmaster of Kumajharia post office for about 10 years ago. Around 400 people of 11 villages under Kumjharia panchayat have opened their accounts in the post office under various schemes. The account holders used to give the money to Kuntilata to deposit in their account under different schemes but Kuntilata allegedly siphoned off the amount and is absconding since a month, sources said. When the sub-post office of Kuanrmunda did not get any details about deposits in Kumjharia post office last month from Kuntilata, they informed Rourkela postal division and Tapas Kumar Perai, assistant superintendent of Rourkela postal division, went to Kumjharia post office on May 14. They did not find Kuntilata there. He came to know about the financial fraud and Krushna Chandra Patra was posted as new branch postmaster. The matter came to light when some depositors came to the Kumajharia branch post office to withdraw money from their accounts but came to know that their money has not been deposited.
“The branch postmaster of Kumjharia post office, Kuntilata Ganju, has allegedly siphoned off about Rs 8 lakh of about 80 depositors over the last five years. We are verifying all the papers related to deposits of the depositors. She is now absconding,” said Perai.
“We have initiated a departmental enquiry against her and stringent action will be taken against her and against any other official if found involved,”said Perai.
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