A major fraud has shaken the district jail in Azamgarh, where authorities discovered irregularities in the superintendent’s account. The jail administration has filed a formal complaint with Sidhari Police Station, naming four individuals — including two recently released inmates and two jail employees — as the primary suspects.
The account, maintained at Canara Bank, Azamgarh branch, is intended for disbursing inmate wages and covering other prison-related expenses funded by the state government. Allegations indicate that forged signatures were used to authorize unauthorized transactions, raising serious questions about internal controls and oversight. Preliminary investigations suggest potential collusion by bank staff.
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Inmate Ramjeet, released on May 20, 2024, followed by Shivshankar a few days later, is alleged to have stolen the jail’s checkbook and executed fraudulent transactions. Jail accountant Musheer Ahmed and cashier/guard Avadhesh Pandey are also named in the complaint for possible involvement. Investigators are examining whether additional staff, both in the jail and the bank, may have aided or ignored the irregularities.
Jail Superintendent Aditya Kumar confirmed that an ongoing audit is being conducted:
“Verification of transactions is underway. Only after completing the audit can we provide a full picture of the situation.”
Sources suggest that the fraudulent activities went undetected for nearly a year, highlighting significant lapses in administrative oversight and internal financial controls. Suspicious documents with forged signatures and bank seals have been identified, indicating potential collusion.
Authorities have assured strict legal action against those found guilty and are reviewing measures to strengthen monitoring and security within the jail administration. Experts stress that this case underscores the need for robust institutional safeguards, regular audits, and real-time financial monitoring.
The Azamgarh jail fraud case has brought to light systemic vulnerabilities in governance, internal controls, and inter-agency coordination. Investigators continue to scrutinize all transactions to uncover the full extent of the fraud and identify any additional parties involved.
