Date:20/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032058070300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Woman cashier in bank arrested

Staff Reporter

She has allegedly siphoned off money

It came to light after a school informed a few students’ parents about non-payment of fees
The parents approached the bank with counterfoil ‘challan’ to prove that they had made remittance

CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch police have arrested a woman cashier of a public sector bank on charges of siphoning off money, to the extent of over Rs.8 lakh, remitted by many customers in their accounts with the bank.

Following a complaint from the bank’s manager, Commissioner of Police G. Nanchil Kumaran directed the CCB police to register a case. Investigations revealed that Shantakumari (45), working with the bank as cashier, had allegedly committed the offence for a few months.

A senior police officer told The Hindu on Wednesday that the crime came to light after a private school sent notices to parents of some students that they had not remitted the term fees of their children. The parents are required to make such payments at the bank’s branch. Subsequently, the parents approached the manager of the bank’s branch with the counterfoil ‘challan’ copy to prove that they had made remittance towards the fees.

Inquiries revealed that the parents paid the cash and the cashier had affixed the bank’s seal on counterfoil challan copies meant for them and the school. She, however, allegedly retained the bank’s copy of the challan. While she received the cash, the bank was unaware of such a transaction since the cashier had not credited the amount in the account concerned.

It was found that the cashier had taken away the cash along with the bank’s copy of the challan, a police officer investigating the case said.

Investigations also revealed that the cashier had allegedly adopted a similar modus operandi with the current account of a private petrol bunk. Whenever the staff of the petrol bunk remitted the cash, she affixed the seal on their counterfoil, but took away the money along with the challan meant for the bank, police said. During questioning, she confessed to having siphoned off a little over Rs 8 lakh.

After the accused was arrested, the CCB police produced her before the Poonamallee Magistrate court. A case under IPC Section 409 (criminal breach of trust of public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) was registered against the accused.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Bank Frauds Wing) M. Paneerselvam said that in cases such as those of the petrol bunk, the account-holders should ensure that the money is credited in the account by seeking a printed statement of the available balance and have their passbooks updated to prevent such crimes.