Pune: Postmaster Goes Missing After ₹17 Lakh Fraud Surfaces In Shirur Taluka

Pune: Customers who entrusted their savings to the Golegaon post office in Shirur taluka are suspected to have been cheated of around ₹17 lakh in an alleged fixed-deposit fraud. The branch postmaster is accused of diverting money collected from customers instead of depositing it into government accounts. He allegedly created fake passbooks and fabricated transaction records to make the deposits appear legitimate. He is currently absconding, and Shirur police are searching for him.

The accused has been identified as Rajesh Jaba Khude (56), a resident of Ranjangaon in Shirur taluka, who was serving as the branch postmaster at Golegaon.

A case has been registered against him following a complaint lodged by Shashikant Singh, Assistant Superintendent of Posts in the Kedgaon subdivision of the Baramati postal division.

According to police, Khude was responsible for collecting money from customers for fixed deposits. Suspicions arose after several customers submitted oral and written complaints to the postal department about discrepancies in their deposit records.

The postal department reportedly initiated a senior-level inquiry around six months ago, with verification and inspections at the branch intensifying over the past two months. Khude allegedly went missing as the scrutiny progressed.

During the inquiry, Singh reportedly found that money collected from customers Ravindra Kondiba Theurkar, Yogita Ravindra Theurkar, Mohan Shankar Rasal and Pandurang Bhagwan Wakhare for fixed deposits had allegedly not been deposited into government accounts. The amounts were suspected to have been retained by the accused.

Investigators also found that passbooks had allegedly been prepared in Khude’s handwriting, with account numbers and transaction details entered manually. Post office stamps were reportedly affixed to the documents to make them appear genuine.

The suspected embezzlement is estimated at approximately ₹17 lakh. Following the findings of the departmental inquiry, Singh approached the police and lodged a formal complaint.

Further investigation is being conducted by Police Sub-Inspector Sagar Shelar under the guidance of Police Inspector Vinod Patil.

Police have appealed to other customers who suspect they may have been cheated through the Golegaon post office to contact Shirur police station at 02138-222139.