Mumbai: The Crime Branch investigating an alleged salary scam in the Mumbai Police has arrested Ramkishan Ganesh Goswami, 61, a former administrative officer of the Northern Regional Division. The case involves allegations that 10 people who were not police personnel were shown as employees of the department and received salaries over a period of time. The alleged fraud caused a loss of around ₹6.41 crore to the government exchequer. Investigators have also identified five other employees whose alleged involvement is being examined and who have been shown as absconding accused.
The Crime Branch’s Unit 12 arrested Goswami from his residence in Kanjurmarg East. According to the investigation, Goswami was serving as an Administrative Officer and Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) at the Northern Regional Division during the period when the alleged fraud took place. Investigators are examining his role in the salary payment process and the official records handled during his tenure.
The scam came to light when employee data was being migrated from the police department’s old Sevarth salary portal to a new software system. During the data verification process, discrepancies were detected in salary payments, prompting an internal inquiry. The inquiry allegedly found that between December 2019 and September 2020, fake service IDs had been created in the names of 10 people who were not police employees.
Investigators allege that salary bills were subsequently prepared and approved using these fictitious service IDs. Salaries were then credited to bank accounts linked to the individuals. According to the police, an excess amount of ₹6.41 crore was transferred through Axis Bank into 163 bank accounts belonging to non-police personnel. Investigators are now examining how the money was withdrawn and distributed and what role each accused allegedly played in the scheme.
The 10 fictitious employees named in the FIR are Ramdas Bhogle, Sudhakar Kadam, Sarju Yadav, Bhagwat Bhosale, Gunaji Khavkar, Mahadev Haldankar, Rajendra Sonar, Uttam Thorat, Suryakant Patil and Pandurang Kadam. Investigators have also named administrative officer Nagesh Talwadekar, clerks Vijay Chavan and Ajay Rathod, and senior clerk Amol Meshram among those allegedly involved. They have been shown as absconding accused.
The initial case was registered at Samta Nagar Police Station under Sections 409, 420, 406, 467, 465, 471, 201, 120(B) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch. During the probe, investigators collected records from the Northern Regional Division relating to the alleged irregularities.
The documents obtained during the investigation include records of the accused persons’ postings and responsibilities, forms used to create service IDs, salary bills, cash-book entries and correspondence with banks concerning salary payments. Investigators also examined and digitally imaged the computer system used by the Pay Branch. The digital evidence is being examined to establish how the alleged fake service IDs were created and how salary bills and payment records were processed.
The investigation is now focused on determining how the alleged fraud was carried out and identifying the specific responsibilities of each accused. Investigators are examining who created the fictitious service IDs, who prepared and approved the salary bills and how government funds were routed into the 163 bank accounts.
The role of the former administrative officer is also being examined in light of his responsibilities as DDO during the relevant period. Investigators are questioning Goswami to establish the sequence of events and determine whether other people were involved in facilitating the alleged payments.
The recovery and examination of official documents, bank records and digital evidence are expected to help investigators establish the complete chain of the alleged ₹6.41 crore payroll fraud. The Crime Branch is also working to locate the absconding accused and determine the final destination of the funds allegedly paid in the names of the 10 fictitious employees.
