JAJPUR: The postmaster of Kuanalo branch post office within Binjharpur police limits is absconding after allegedly misappropriating around Rs 50 lakh from accounts of depositors.
The accused, Kodanadhara Boitai is accused of siphoning off around Rs 50 lakh from the accounts of more than 50 depositors. On Monday, the irate depositors gheraoed the office of the assistant superintendent of the post in Jajpur town. Sources said the forgery came to light when a woman depositor, Sabitarani Das arrived at Kuanalo branch post office to withdraw money from her account for her daughter’s marriage last month.
Although Das had Rs 1.4 lakh in her account, she could not withdraw the sum due to insufficient funds. When she confronted Boitai, the latter could not furnish a satisfactory reply.
“The postmaster had collected pass books of several depositors including mine on the plea of entering records of quarterly interest in September. The passbooks have been with him since then. When I came to withdraw money from my account on October 21, Boitai asked me to come after two days on the plea that all passbooks were sent to Jajpur head post office for interest calculation,” said Das.
When Boitai went into hiding on October 23, Das found that a total of Rs 1.4 lakh was withdrawn from her account in seven installments by Boitai who allegedly forged her signature.
Jajpur Postal Division assistant superintendent Harisankar Subudhi said the deposited money was siphoned off by Boitai over the last couple of months.
“We came to know of the incident laswt month. A departmental inquiry into the incident has been launched. Stern action will be taken against the erring official as per law,” he said.