Mumbai: A contractual Maharashtra Government employee with a salary of Rs 13,000 managed to defraud of crores the department he worked for and was caught after getting attention for his luxury car, gifting a 4 BHK flat to his girlfriend and commissioning diamond-studded glasses, reports claimed.
The employee, identified as Harshal Kumar Anil Kshirsagar, along with two of his accomplices carried out the financial fraud in Maharashtra’s Divisional Sports Complex at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The contract employee was working at a monthly salary of Rs 13,000.
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Thursday 09 Jan. 2025
One of the accused purchased a BMW car, a bike from the same brand, and a 4 BHK flat opposite the airport for his girlfriend, the report said, adding that he had even commissioned diamond-studded glasses from a renowned Mumbai jeweller.
What probe revealed
The investigation also revealed that the husband of another female contract worker involved in the scheme had purchased an SUV worth Rs 35 lakh. Preliminary findings cited in the report indicate that the prime accused, Harsh Kumar Anil Kshirsagar, has absconded with the SUV.
The accused carried out the by opening an account in the name of the sports complex at the Indian Bank, intended for government funds.
Transactions required cheques signed by the Deputy Sports Director, however, Harsh Kumar Kshirsagar along with the other two contract employees Yashoda Shetty and her husband BK Jeevan allegedly fabricated documents to provide the bank.
The accused allegedly transferred funds to their accounts after activating Internet banking facilities using the forged documents. The fraudulent activities went on for six months before the departmental Deputy Director detected them.
A statement by the police is awaited in the matter.
Ironically, Harshal, who mainly worked as a computer operator on a contract basis in the sports complex and earned a meagre sum of Rs 13,000, bought a BMW car, a bike and even gifted his girlfriend a 4 BHK apartment.
However, he did not stop at luxury vehicles, Harshal even transferred money to 12 different accounts and also ordered diamond-studded glasses for his girlfriend. Investigation has revealed that the BMW car was worth Rs 1.2 crore, another SUV was bought at Rs 1.3 crore, a BMW motorcycle worth Rs 32 lakh was also purchased with the fraud money.
How was the scam carried out?
The main accused allegedly used the old letterhead of the sports department and sent an email to the bank, requesting to change the email address linked to the bank account of the sports complex. He created a similar email address by changing just one letter and was able to use the newly created email.
He then activated the net banking service for the divisional sports complex committee’s account with a nationalized bank on Jalna Road. Police said that between July 1 and December 7, 2024, the computer operator transferred money to his and 12 other bank accounts with a transfer of Rs 3 crore in one of these accounts.
At present, the Economic Offenses Wing of the police is interrogating all the people associated with the sports complex. “We have filed an FIR against three people in this case. Two accused have been arrested and one is still absconding. During the investigation, it was found that he had bought a BMW car and a bike. He had also ordered a luxury apartment and some gold items. Investigation is still going on on all these and our team is investigating in different areas to arrest the main accused,” DCP Prashant Kadam said.
