Pune: Prisoner Defrauds Yerwada Jail Authorities Of Over ₹26 Lakh In Money Order Scam

Pune: A startling case has emerged from Pune’s Yerwada Central Prison, where a prisoner serving a life sentence has been accused of fraud of more than ₹26 lakh by tampering with the money order register in the jail for over two years.

Sachin Raghunath Fulsundar, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the sessions court on May 21, 2009, in a case involving attempted murder and rape in Narayangaon, was booked by the Yerwada Police under several sections of the Indian Penal Code on charges of cheating, forgery, etc.

Fulsundar, a native of Mokas Bagh, Junnar, was assigned the role of a cleaner by the jail administration. However, under the pretext of assisting with the export of goods manufactured in the Factory Department, Fulsundar would visit the Justice Department, where inmates maintain a register of money orders sent by their relatives. These money orders are intended to meet the daily needs of the prisoners and are recorded in the register. Inmates can use this record to make purchases from the jail's canteen.

However, Fulsundar allegedly manipulated the register by creating false dates, forged signatures, and fictitious accounts. He falsely claimed to have received money orders in the names of other inmates and also deposited the funds in his own name. He then utilized this ill-gotten sum, amounting to ₹26,69, 911, to make purchases at the canteen. Fulsundar carried on with this fraud from 2021 and August 2023 until the incident came to light.

The case was filed based on a complaint by jail officer Bapurao Bhimrao Mote. Meanwhile, police sub-inspector Ashok Kate is investigating the case.