Woman ex-staff steals Rs 1.73 crore from Chennai-based firm to build house, buy jewels; arrested
The arrested woman, P Shanthi, was working as an accounts officer at a city-based private firm, which is in the business of maintenance and management of central government buildings
CHENNAI: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Greater Chennai City Police arrested a woman for allegedly misappropriating funds to the tune of Rs 1.73 crore from a private firm while she was working there.
The arrested woman, P Shanthi, was working as an accounts officer at a city-based private firm, which is in the business of maintenance and management of central government buildings.
The woman joined the firm in 2012 and worked until resigning from the company in April. In his complaint, the proprietor of the firm stated that he learnt of the embezzlement of the company's funds after the woman's resignation during an internal audit conducted by a chartered accountant.
The complainant stated that Shanthi had manipulated the bank account statements by falsifying the records and made several unauthorised payments to several persons who are not connected to the company. He alleged that she also stole signed blank cheques from the proprietor's desk in his absence and encashed them.
Between 2022 and 2024, when the proprietor had to shuttle between Bengaluru and Chennai due to personal reasons, the accused allegedly embezzled Rs 1.7 crore in several transactions and used them to build a house in her native village, he alleged in the complaint, adding that she also bought gold jewellery using that money.
A CCB team arrested Shanthi near Hosur on Sunday. She was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.