Bengaluru: Courier boy escapes with cheque for Rs 12 lakh
A courier boy, working for a local company in Bengaluru is accused of encashing a cheque for Rs 12 lakh, lying to his company that he had delivered the documents to the intended recipient. The incident came to light only when the courier company to whom it was assigned raised a query regarding the issue.
Bengaluru: Not for nothing is it said that sending important items or documents through a courier service is risky. We can safely add that it can be painful if the intended recipient fails to get the item.
A local daily reported that a courier boy escaped with a cheque worth Rs 12 lakh that was issued by Sariradha Farm India Private Limited, Udupi to MP Distributors, Timber Yard, Bengaluru, on July 15.
The accused, Ashwin Kumar, who hails from Bihar, had joined the courier service, Ekadanta Enterprises, on Mysore Road, owned by a lady named Devika.
Incidentally, the accused had joined the courier company only three days before the alleged fraud took place.
Around 5 pm on July 15, when Ashwin Kumar returned, he informed his seniors in the courier office that he had delivered the documents he had been asked to. However, he did not return the next day. He returned only 2 days later, saying he was unwell, and was suffering from dengue.
His seniors bought his excuse. But on August 3, Ekadanta Enterprises got a call from a courier company in Udupi, saying their client had not received the documents.
When Devika dialled Ashwin Kumar, his phone was switched off. He had remained incommunicado. Later it was learnt that he had created fake documents to withdraw Rs 12 lakh.
Immediately, a complaint was launched. The police have booked him under IPC sections 408 (criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant) and 420 (cheating).
Police say that the employees did not take anything from him except his Aadhaar card. It is suspected that he has run away to his native in Bihar. The police have launched a manhunt for him and are confident of nabbing him soon.