Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
In a shocking case, 21-year-old contractual clerk Harshkumar Kshirsagar held access to bank credentials of the Sports Complex Committee, managing funds worth crores, despite six senior officials being on duty. Harshkumar tampered with cash book records and handled transactions, even though the final approval lay with Deputy Director Sanjay Sabnis. The lack of oversight has raised serious questions about internal checks and balances.
The police suspect Harshkumar did not act alone and believe there may be others involved in this elaborate scam. Jawaharnagar police registered a case against Kshirsagar for embezzling Rs 21.59 crores on December 21 from the committee’s Rs 59.62 crore fund. Initially hired by Disha Facilitates Company in 2022 for daily operations, he continued in the role when the contract shifted to Wave Multi Services. Surprisingly, the committee entrusted him with the bank’s ID and password, bypassing the six permanent employees, including senior clerks, a chief clerk and a sports officer.
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How did Harshkumar gain control?
Deputy Director Sabnis, who served as the acting head of the sports complex, frequently travelled for office work, leaving operational gaps. Despite the presence of six permanent government employees at the complex, including two senior clerks, one sports officer, one chief clerk, and two junior clerks, the responsibility for managing crores of funds was suddenly handed over to 21-year-old Kshirsagar in 2022. In court on Wednesday, the prosecution disclosed that Harshkumar had access to sensitive bank details, sparking an ongoing investigation into who provided these to him.
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The great escape and arrest
After the scam came to light, Harshkumar fled to Hyderabad with his parents. He later sent them to Murudeshwar while he took a train to Delhi, reportedly seeking legal advice. However, police tracked him down and arrested him before he could execute further escape plans.
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Clerks link Sabnis to fraud
Kshirsagar was arrested on Wednesday. During preliminary interrogation, he claimed that he acted under the instructions of Deputy Director Sanjay Sabnis, referring to the alleged "letter conspiracy."
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More questions than answers
Why was a junior, contractual clerk entrusted with crores of public funds? Why were senior officials and the oversight mechanisms inactive? The answers lie in uncovering the role of other players in this financial fraud. The investigation continues, with police suspecting this is only the tip of the iceberg.