Postmaster swindles Rs 21 lakh from savings schemes' investments, arrested

Alappuzha: A female postmaster of Mararikulam North post office in Alappuzha has been arrested by the police for allegedly embezzling Rs 21 lakh from the savings schemes' investment amounts.

The accused, Amithanath (29) from the 15th ward of Pallippuram Panchayat, misappropriated the funds without transferring them to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

The irregularities were detected in the savings schemes that had an expiry of one year and five years. The accused provided fake account numbers to the investors and deceived them by depositing the money into these accounts.

According to police, Amithanath had recorded the installment payments in the account books of the beneficiaries and returned them with seals. However, she did not credit the money to any of the beneficiaries' accounts, and instead, spent the funds for her own personal needs and luxuries.

The case was registered based on the complaints received at the office of postmaster general. Most of the people who were deceived are fisherfolk. 

Currently, two cases were registered against Amithanath at Mararikulam police station. She has been remanded and sent to Mavelikara sub jail. The police have initiated a probe to find if more people have been cheated by the accused.