Ex-postmaster held in 8.5-crore FD scam

Kolkata: The former postmaster of Regent Estate Post Office in south Kolkata, Dilip Kumar Jana (59), was arrested for allegedly being the mastermind of a fixed deposit (FD) scam worth Rs 8.5 crore. More than 25 senior citizens and investors were duped. Joint CP (crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar said Jana, a resident of Ghasiara Paschim Para in Sonarpur, was arrested on Thursday evening from Gopal Nagar in Alipore. He is currently in police custody. He was produced before the court on Friday.The arrest was made on the basis of a written complaint submitted by Avijit Majumdar of Netaji Nagar.
Cops said the alleged fraud was executed through a conspiracy involving Jana and Siddhartha Karanjai, who posed as an authorised agent of the Department of Posts. Police said Karanjai—who is in judicial custody currently— allegedly approached depositors whose FDs had matured and convinced them to withdraw the proceeds on the pretext of reinvestment in postal schemes. The withdrawn amounts were then channelled into other accounts, after which the money was misappropriated, cops said. Proof against Jana was collected from office of the Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, India Post, South Division.