Kendrapara: A postmaster of a rural post office has allegedly swindled deposits worth nearly Rs 75 lakh in the district.

The department of post has instituted a probe into the alleged bungling. An FIR has been lodged in this connection. At least four incidents with postmasters fleeing with deposits have been reported in the recent past across Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts.

"The latest fraud has been reported from Kanipadasablang village post office in Derabish police limits. A departmental inquiry is going on after a section of account holders made allegations of deposits missing from their accounts. Ledgers and relevant records were verified. Preliminary findings have shown prima-facie case of embezzlement. The postmaster, Achyut Kumar Kar, is accused of bungling," said Bhagyadhar Das, assistant superintendent of posts, Cuttack division.

Entry of deposits has not been made in ledgers while passbooks show the deposited amounts. There is corroborative evidence of money being swindled by Das. The exact amount that was swindled is yet to be ascertained. However, the amount may go up to Rs 70 lakh as complaints from deceived depositors are still pouring in. Das is untraceable. He has been suspended. The department has pledged to refund the money to the depositors, he said.

"Defalcation of this nature has tarnished the image of the department. We have resolved to take the unscrupulous elements to task. The depositors would get back their money on production of documentary evidence of the deposits made by them," said an official.

While deposited sum was mentioned in the passbooks, the deposits did not figure in ledger books. The amount was pocketed by the postmaster. The fraud was innovative as the passbooks carried the postal seal and specimen signature of concerned authorities. The defrauded depositors never smelt foul play. However, the ledger accounts did not show that the deposits were made by the account holders.

"My hard-earned money has been embezzled. I have lost faith in the postal department," said a depositor Nagendra Samal.

Similar frauds were reported in the past at Karilopatana village post office (Kendrapara district), Kujang sub divisional post office and Kudeswar post office (both in Jagatsinghpur district).