DoP orders probe into scam

  SRIKAKULAM, September 26, 2015

 

The Department of Posts has ordered a high-level inquiry in Srikakulam district after a major scandal worth Rs. 1 crore was detected at Sativada of Gara mandal.

 

A branch Post Master, Talla Narayana Rao, had reportedly siphoned off Rs. 1 crore in a phased manner.

 

The department had detected fraud in other places too previously. In this background, high-level teams inspected all the 424 branch post offices and 65 sub post-offices in the district and verified the records. Auditing is being done in all the places on a war-footing.

 

According to officials, branch Post Masters can withdraw funds from Sub Post Masters’ offices for payments of NREGS works. The total amount required for a particular branch can be calculated through Point of Transaction Device (POTD). The accused Post Master reportedly changed figure ‘1’ into ‘7’ and used to draw up to Rs. 60, 000 extra amount in every transaction.

 

For instance, if the amount to be paid is Rs. 10,000, the actual withdrawal was Rs. 70, 000. Incidentally, the amount was not printed in words in the slip generated by POTD.

 

Senior officers of the Gara Sub-Post office are supposed to cross-check the amount in the DoP portal, but it has not been done in all the last three years.

 

Srikakulam Postal Superintendent Janapala Prasadbabu said the department could recover Rs. 43 lakh from Narayana Rao by selling his properties located in various places.

 

“Customers need not worry about the incident since the scandal will have no impact on them. The department, which lost its money, will recover it from the persons concerned,” he added.

 

The department order compulsory cross-checking through portal before making payments at every level. The payments for NREGS works will be verified thoroughly at every branch post offices hereafter.

 

The department felt that sale of properties within couple of weeks for recovery of amount would act as a deterrent and prevent possible frauds at the post offices hereafter.

Source : http://www.thehindu.com/