MUMBAI: A case was registered following a complaint lodged by the Directorate of Tourism, Maharashtra, against four people for allegedly forging cheques and illegally withdrawing ₹69 lakh from the bank accounts of the state tourism department. The police said the accused forged cheque books, made fake stamps and with the help of fake signatures withdrew money via 15 bank transactions. The police said similar cheating has happened with the State School Education Department and they are also in the process of registering an offence in that case as well.

According to the Marine Drive police a case has been registered by chief accounts officer, Vitthal Sude, working with the Directorate of Tourism State of Maharashtra.

“The department received alerts regarding unauthorised withdrawals from its current account at the Bank of Maharashtra, Mantralaya Branch. A total of ₹22.79 lakh was transferred to Akash Dey, ₹22.73 lakh to Tapan Mandal, ₹13.91 lakh to Lakshmi Pal, and ₹9.24 lakh to Ananda Mandal. These transactions occurred through 15 bank accounts between the 13th and 16th of February,” said a police official from the Marine Drive police station.

The police said the total money was thus transferred to various bank accounts and then it was withdrawn. “The accused created counterfeit cheques with the same cheque numbers available with the Tourism department. Fake stamps and duplicate signatures were also used to get the fake cheques passed in the system,” said the police officer.

“We are inquiring into the matter and we have registered a case under section 34 (common intention), 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc.) of the Indian Penal Code against the four people in whose bank accounts the money has gone,” said the police officer.

The police said they are also inquiring if there is any involvement of any internal person from the bank or the tourism department or somebody who has access to the system.