Arrested Postal Employees Disclose to Police
High postal, audit officials involved in scam
Our Correspondent, Nilphamari
Some high officials of the postal department in Northern districts and of government's audit department in Dhaka were involved in the postal scam in which depositors were swindled of crores of taka, according to statements given to police by the three employees of Nilphamari Head Post Office now on remand. Sources in the probe team and in Nilphamari police told this correspondent yesterday that the three accused now on remand also named some of the officials involved, but they declined to give details. Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge Sohrab Hossen is the investigation officer (IO) of one of the cases filed in connection with the forgery. Assistant Post Master Mir Nural Islam Munna and Ledger Keeper Ahamedul Islam Raju are on five days' remand in the first case and seven days' remand in the second case. Postal Operator Liaqeat Ali. Is on seven days' remand in the second case. Nilpahamari Sadar police on Friday had sought 15 days' remand for the three accused in two cases filed in connection with misappropriation of Tk 3.12 crore from postal savings bank at Nilphamari Head Post Office. Another accused -- Postal Operator Taslimuddin--is absconding since filing of the case. The second case in connection with misappropriation of about Tk 2.5 crore in the savings certificate section was transferred to Detective Branch (DB) on Saturday. In absence of the DB Inspector, SI of Nilphamari Sadar thana Moslemuddin is probing the case. The high-power inquiry committee headed by Additional Director of Postal Department Mobasserur Rahman started probe in the savings account section on Sunday. Probe in the savings certificate section was done on Saturday, where misappropriation of Tk 2.5 crore was found. Another Tk 62 lakh was swindled away through false voucher. The Deputy Post Master General (DPMG) of Dinajpur Postal Region Rezaul Islam, who is also in-charge DPMG for Rangpur Region, told this correspondent that the probe team was 'facing difficulties' as many important papers were missing. "We have sent men to postal audit section at AG (accountant general) office in Dhaka to find clues to the missing papers", he said. It would take more days to complete the investigation in the savings account section because more misappropriation has been found there than in the savings certificate section. He however declined to say how much the misappropriated amount could be. A member of the inquiry committee seeking anonymity said misappropriation of such a huge amount of money is not impossible without collaboration of officials of postal audit department at the AG office in Dhaka. Audit was not done in last 10-12 years at Nilphamari Head Post Office, he said. DMPG Rezaul islam said they are preparing documents in such a way that the IO can understand those. But it will take some days to probe, he added.
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