Effect of ABP News news on EPFO scam, 2 more employees suspended, 7 people suspended so far

Posted on 21st Aug 2021 by rohit kumar

There has been a big PF scam in the country. Crores of rupees have been rigged with the connivance of the clerk. The shocking case is related to the world's largest social security organization ie the EPFO ​​office. The scam case is related to the Kandivali PF office in Mumbai. Some employees working here stole more than Rs 21 crore from the PF pool. This fraud and scam were exposed in the internal investigation of the PF office. So far 7 people have been suspended in the Kandivali EPFO ​​ie the Employees Provident Fund scam of Mumbai. Earlier, in this case, 5 people were suspended, now 2 more people were suspended. Among the 2 people who were suspended, one is an employee of the post of Assistant Commissioner.

 

 

How did the scam happen?

The scam has happened with the connivance of a clerk and some other employees working in the PF office of Kandivali Unit 2, Mumbai. This fraud and scam were exposed in the internal investigation of the PF office. The prime suspect is 37-year-old Chandan Kumar Sinha, a clerk in the Charkop branch (Unit 2) of the same EPFO ​​office. It is suspected that it committed a scam of crores of rupees with the connivance of some other employees including his colleague clerk Abhijit Onekar. Their mods were such that these laborers, needy, rickshaw drivers used to get bank accounts and Aadhaar details of people. Their PF accounts were opened and an amount of less than Rs 5 lakh was transferred from the PF pool to their PF account. In the investigation, it was found that with the help of 817 bank accounts and Aadhar cards, Chandan and Abhijeet sent crores of rupees to the PF account of the workers. The workers whose PF accounts were opened were said to be employees of those companies which have been closed in the year 2006. Money was sent from PF accounts to the bank accounts of the workers. Money was withdrawn from the bank account and the worker from whose account the amount was withdrawn was given a commission of 5000-10000 rupees.

 

 

Why was the theft not caught?

The employees who came under suspicion in this scam were aware of the audit process. They did not let the flaws come to the fore. The EPFO ​​​​of the closed company does not do double entry. During the Corona period, most people withdrew PF money, during this time the rules were relaxed by the government so that people could easily withdraw PF money. Senior officers were at home during the Corona crisis. The senior officers gave their password to the clerk and later did not change the password. Taking advantage of this, lakhs of rupees were sent from the PF pool to the bank accounts of laborers, fake beneficiaries. This amount used to be less than 5 lakhs, so it did not come before the senior officers for investigation. If the amount transferred is more than 5 lakhs then the senior officers look into it.

 

 

Who is the mastermind?

In the internal investigation of the PF office, 7 people have been suspended in those who came under the scanner. 37-year-old Chandan Kumar Sinha is under suspicion. Chandan hails from Gaya, Bihar. Studied Philosophy at Magadh University. Near this expensive car and Harley, Davidson bikes were also knocking its close ones. Chandan's colleague, clerk Abhijit Onekar, is also suspended.

 

 

 

What will happen next?

A criminal case will be registered after an internal investigation. There will be a demand to hand over the investigation to the CBI. In the PF office of Kandivali Charkop Unit 2, the accounts from which the money was withdrawn will be audited in 2 years. 12 lakh accounts will be audited. In other EPFO ​​offices also, instructions have been given to follow the rules for internal audit and the process of giving PF money transfers. Till now no FIR has been registered. According to senior EPFO ​​officials, after the completion of the investigation, the case will be given to the CBI. There is no threat to private PF accounts. There is no loss of any person, company but the loss of PF office organization. In the investigation, it was found that 90% of the money has been withdrawn.