In accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets valued at Rs. 3.46 Crore in the case of Lakshman Hembram & others. These assets include land, and bank balances belonging to Lakshman Hembram, Sub Postmaster, and the Postal Department.
Based on a formal complaint (FIR) filed by the Moyna Police Station in Purba Medinipur, Tamluk, for an alleged offence against Lakshman Hembram under many sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the ED began an investigation.
Lakshman Hembram used to, allegedly by forging the signatures of the account holders, effect the premature or final closure of Term Deposit accounts. Without the account holders’ knowledge, he would then transfer the pre-mature amount or maturity proceeds of those TD accounts to their savings accounts. This was the subject of an ED investigation. After that, he allegedly used to forge the account holders’ signatures in order to fraudulently withdraw the specified amount from their SB accounts.
Since none of these withdrawals were mentioned in the appropriate depositor passbooks, it was noted that sums were made only from the depositors’ savings bank accounts and term deposits, without the knowledge of the account holders. In accordance with the PMLA, 2002, these withdrawals totalling Rs 4.12 crore were made for personal use and the purchase of real estate and other assets.
Incriminating papers pertaining to Lakshman Hembram’s involvement in the scam were discovered during an earlier ED search operation at his home locations. Cash totalling Rs 5.25 lakh and a bank balance of Rs 5.97 lakhs were also discovered, confiscated, or frozen. Additional research is currently being conducted.
