Fraud in luggage booking: Two Kozhikode railway officials dismissed

Kozhikode: Two railway officials have been dismissed from service for carrying out extensive irregularities in the luggage booking section at Kozhikode Railway Station. K.M. Sreejith and Shiju John, who were serving as Chief Commercial Clerks in the commercial department of the station, were removed from service.

According to the investigation report, the officials had devised a method to misappropriate money by misusing the luggage booking system. In the railway system, passengers can transport their belongings through the luggage booking facility, but it is mandatory to purchase a train ticket before booking luggage. Once booked, the ticket should be stamped with ‘LB’ (Luggage Booked) and returned back to the customers, such stamped tickets cannot be canceled later.

However, the investigation revealed that many passengers used this facility solely to send parcels without actually travelling. Exploiting this, the officials would purchase train tickets on behalf of customers and issue only the booking receipt back to them, deliberately avoiding the ‘LB’ stamp on the ticket. Later, they would get the tickets cancelled through known associates, thereby pocketing the refunded amount.

It is alleged that this malpractice continued for around six months. Based on the findings, a charge memo was already issued to the two employees in September last year. Following further proceedings, an official order was issued recently terminating them from service.