The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against two persons, including a former employee of the Department of Posts, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED launched the investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the CBI and ACB-Hyderabad against Kesari Sathish, the former postal employee, for misappropriation of government funds to the tune of ₹1.72 crore.
How he did it
The FIR had been registered based on a complaint lodged by the superintendent of post offices, Warangal division, alleging that Kesari Sathish, while being employed as a sub-post master in Kodakandla in Telangana between April 19, 2021, and May 17, 2022, misappropriated government funds by falsifying entries in the system on Sundays and holidays. He made back-dated entries in Systems Applications and Products (SAP) software of the Post Office fraudulently.
The ED investigation showed that the proceeds of crime were either deposited in his post office savings account or handed over by him to known persons in cash, who would then transfer the amount to his account.
He used the money to play online casino games; give and repay loans; and for various other purposes, according to an official release from the department.
Recovering the sum
The ED investigation showed that Kesari Sathish had dissipated the sum. However, a land parcel, having a book value of ₹3.26 lakh, was identified during the investigation, and it was revealed that to prevent the same from being attached, Kesari Sathish transferred it to his relative, Duvva Veeresh Kumar, without any sale consideration. Duvva Veeresh Kumar is the second person against whom the complaint has been made.
The land parcel had earlier been provisionally attached under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002, and the attachment had been confirmed by the adjudicating authority of PMLA in New Delhi.
Published - September 02, 2024 07:15 pm IST
