Date : 12.4.2017

Postal software Meghdoot helps department detect note exchange fraud

HYDERABAD: The postal staff who were involved in irregularities during exchange of old notes with new currency during the demonetisation period have been identified thanks to the software, Meghdoot, used to computerise  the work at post office counters.  

Basing on software reports and records of the postal department, officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation have intensified raids and registered a number of cases against accused officers and employees for indulging in irregularities.

H R Chandrashekarachar, senior superintendent of post offices, Hyderabad City division, found irregularities at the Khairatabad head post office basing on reports from the department’s Meghdoot software that clearly found differences in transactions made in accepting and giving amounts to customers during the demonetisation period.

Following the inputs of postal department officials, CBI officials have registered criminal cases against eight, including three women officers, for misusing their powers and making illegal transactions to the tune of Rs  64.97 lakh in cash. The investigation agency intends to conduct more raids.

Sources told Express that Meghdoot was aimed at computerising the counter work at all post offices. The software is capable of handling transactions performed at counters such as booking of money orders, accepting miscellaneous receipts, and sale and payment of postal orders.

The software has two different packages _ one a standalone version and the other a client-server version.The treasurer module of Meghdoot package computerises the treasury work of the head post office that detects cash and stamp balance of head office, maintenance of cash and stamp advances given to counters and also remittances received form the counters generation of treasurers cash book.  

“The software records revealed that S Bhaskar, an employee at the Khairatabad head office, illegally exchanged Rs  2.88 lakh worth of currency notes, Amrail Singh Rs  1.2 lakh, TV Bahsker Rs  66,000, Durga Bhai Rs  6.23 lakh, R Jyothi Rs  1.20 lah, Ch Venu Rs  1.26 lakh and M Mahesh Rs  30.75 lakh,” postal officials submitted to the CBI.  

Similarly, KV Manoj Kumar, sub-postmaster at Lakkireddypalle in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, created 95 savings bank accounts in fictitious names, deposited Rs  23 lakh illegally into those accounts and withdrew the money.

The Indian Express