3 Youths Arrested For Embezzling Over Rs 42 Lakh From Flipkart In Odisha’s Boudh

Boudh: Police have arrested three youths for allegedly swindling Rs 42.84 lakh from Flipkart Private Limited in Odisha’s Boudh district.

Speaking to media persons on Sunday, Boudh SP Raj Prasad said the three arrested persons are Sunil Priyaranjan Pal (25) of Nayagarh town, Asish Ranjan Pradhan (24) of Baghamari in Khurda district and Byomkesh Giri of Jaleswar in Balasore district. Pal is the hub-in-charge and acting cluster manager and Pradhan a team leader of CABT Logistics while Giri was a cluster manager but was removed from the job for siphoning off the money from the company.

Flipkart and CABT Logistics had entered into an agreement to deliver goods. Flipkart engages logistics firms to deliver large goods and non-large goods, weighing less than one kg, and groceries. CABT was delivering non-large goods like mobile phones, shoes, garments, and groceries.

Since Pal was the cluster manager of five hubs – Baunsuni, Kantamal, Bamur, G Udayagiri and Tikabali, the trio used to swindle money from the payment made by the consumers on the goods delivered on cash on delivery (COD) order. The delivery boys used to hand over the goods to the customers and collect money from them. The delivery boys then deposited the money with Pal.

The accused also ordered goods on Flipkart using ghost names and addresses sold those in the market. When Flipkart’s cash management system (CMS) staff used to visit the hubs of CABT to collect the money towards the sale of the goods, Pal used to deliberately delay making the payments.

The accused used to forge the cash receipts received from CMS staff of Flipkart and submit the same to the senior officials of CABT by filling higher amounts. The fraud came to light when Flipkart contacted CABT officials regarding non-payment of the goods. The logistics company conducted an inquiry and ascertained the involvement of Pal, Pradhan and Giri in the scam.

After the Flipkart authorities came to know about the embezzlement at three places, they had filed complaints with the police. While a case was filed in Baunsuni police station in Boudh alleging embezzlement of Rs 38 lakh, another case of cheating Rs 1.94 lakh was filed in Kantamal and another of Rs 9 lakh in Bamur of Angul district.

Following investigation, the police could identify the accused. On tracking their mobile phones, the Boudh police knew that the three accused were coming to the district. While the accused were coming on two costly motorcycles, the police nabbed them on the border of the district. The police have also seized a laptop, 3 mobile phones and Rs 4.5 lakh from their possession, the SP said.