Bank Seal Misuse and Duplicate Challans Uncover Major Property Tax Fraud in Udupi
A significant fraud case involving the alleged misuse of a bank seal and the duplication of challans in property tax payments has been officially registered at the Udupi Town police station. This incident has raised serious concerns about financial security within the Udupi City Municipal Council's operations.
Discovery of Discrepancies During Routine Checks
According to a formal complaint lodged by CMC commissioner Mahantesh Hangargi, property tax payments at the municipal office are typically processed by generating challans through e-receipts, with the amounts subsequently deposited into the council's account at Union Bank. The irregularities came to light during standard verification procedures.
On February 3, while conducting routine checks on property tax payments, municipal staff members noticed a critical anomaly. A challan dated January 28 prominently displayed the Union Bank seal, yet there was no corresponding entry for this payment in the Union Bank account statement for that same date. This glaring discrepancy was immediately brought to the attention of Commissioner Hangargi.
Further Investigation Reveals Duplicate Challans
The situation escalated the following day, February 4, when officials conducted another verification of property tax payments. During this examination, they scrutinized challans bearing the Union Bank seal dated February 4. To their astonishment, it was discovered that these specific challans had already been generated on January 28.
Investigators found two challans sharing the identical challan number but bearing Union Bank seals with two different dates. This clear evidence of duplication strongly suggested systematic manipulation of the payment process.
Suspected Fraud and Legal Action
Authorities now suspect that unknown individuals deliberately misused the Union Bank seal to collect property tax payments fraudulently, thereby cheating the municipal authorities. The sophisticated nature of the operation indicates potential insider knowledge or access to official systems.
In response to these findings, the Udupi Town police have registered a formal case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include:
- Sections 336(2) and 336(3) related to forgery
- Section 340(2) for using forged documents
- Section 318(4) concerning cheating
- All read with Section 3(5) addressing common intention by several people to commit a crime
The municipal council has initiated internal audits to determine the full extent of the financial impact, while police investigations continue to identify the perpetrators behind this elaborate property tax scam.
