Rs 21 Crore Fraud Uncovered at Aurangabad Sports Complex Following Lavish Spending by Suspects

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra), Dec 24 (NationPress) A covert net-banking fraud involving Rs 21.60 crore has been perpetrated against a government sports complex for six months, coming to light when one of the perpetrators allegedly began indulging in extravagant purchases, including luxury vehicles, properties, and diamonds for himself and his girlfriend.

The scam, which has been ongoing since July 1, was recently uncovered at the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Divisional Sports Complex (CSDSC). Local law enforcement and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) have apprehended two suspects so far, while the main accused, identified as Harshkumar A. Kshirsagar, remains at large, according to an official source.

The two arrested individuals are Yashoda Shetty, a typist, and B.K. Jeevan, a computer operator, both engaged as contract employees. They, alongside the primary suspect Kshirsagar, were recruited through a human resources firm along with 16 others in 2023.

Sources indicate that Shetty, Jeevan, and Kshirsagar, who are now implicated in conspiracy and complicity in the crime, earned an average monthly salary of around Rs 13,000 but exhibited sudden signs of wealth.

The sports officer at CSDSC, Tejas D. Kulkarni, filed a formal police complaint, prompting a discreet investigation that unveiled their modus operandi.

The Jawahar Nagar Police and the EOW discovered that the suspects had initiated a net banking service with Indian Bank using fraudulent documents and managed to siphon funds from CSDSC for a continuous six months, with all key officials remaining completely unaware.

According to an unidentified official, Kshirsagar and Jeevan manipulated an old letterhead of CSDSC, which bore forged signatures and stamps from the sports complex. This falsified document was formally submitted to Indian Bank to request the establishment of a net banking facility, where one of the accused provided his mobile number for the service. They also created a counterfeit email ID for CSDSC, and by June, the bank had completed all necessary procedures to activate the net banking service on Jeevan's mobile phone.

With this critical access, they commenced a prolonged scheme that went undetected for six months—until one of them, apparently overconfident, began flaunting their newfound riches.

Following the investigation, the police lodged a report on Sunday, leading to the arrest of the duo, who have since been placed in police custody until December 27. The EOW is also examining the financial implications of this shocking case.

Intensive interrogation of the arrested individuals has revealed that the funds were diverted towards purchasing a BMW car, a BMW motorcycle, acquiring a luxury four-bedroom apartment in an upscale complex near the airport, ordering diamond-encrusted glasses, high-priced apparel, and other indicators of a lavish lifestyle.

Numerous questions have been raised regarding the negligence displayed by CSDSC, particularly on how the application for activating the net banking service was not verified by the bank, and why the IT Department failed to detect any signs of the high-value transactions.

Interestingly, earlier this year, the sports institution faced scrutiny for defaulting on civic taxes and dues amounting to approximately Rs 2.75 crore as levied by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation. The suspects have been charged under BNS 61 (2), Sec 316 (2), Sec 318 (4), Sec 316 (5), Sec 336 (2), and investigations are ongoing to apprehend Kshirsagar and potentially other accomplices involved in this sensational fraud involving government resources.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmi@gmail.com)