Money order scam unearthed

LUDHIANA, Oct 15: In what appears to be a first computer manipulation to commit fraud, Ramji Lal, a postal assistant in head post Office here, managed to issue a bogus corporate money order worth Rs. 44 lakh in the name of a ficticious firm which was payable to a non-existent person Balwinder Singh.

Varinder kumar, SP Hqs and incharge of economic offences wing informed that the accused later opened a saving bank account in local branch of Ludhiana Central Coop Bank in the name of Balwinder Singh giving a ficticious address and presented the cheque issued by the post office against the corporate money order for collection.

Although, the postal authorities had cleared the cheque without much verification, the bank authorities got suspicious and on inquries found that no such person existed at the given address. On being intimated, the postal department also stumbled upon the facts that the corporate money order was bogus and had been fabricated through computer manipulation.

A case under sections 420/465/467/468/471, IPC has been registered and further investigation was in progress.