Ahmedabad Showroom Owner Accuses Accountant of Rs 50 Lakh Embezzlement
In a significant financial fraud case, an automobile showroom owner from Naroda, Ahmedabad, has lodged a formal complaint of cheating with the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) police. The complaint targets an accountant accused of misappropriating more than Rs 50 lakh from the business. The alleged embezzlement is said to have taken place over a one-year period, from June 2022 to June 2023.
Details of the Complaint and Business Operations
The complainant, identified as Jitendra Shah, aged 56, operates Krishna Wheels, a Royal Enfield showroom situated at Aditya Opulence near the Nana Chiloda crossroads in Ahmedabad. According to the filed complaint, Chetan Pandya was employed as an accountant and back-office executive starting in April 2022, with a monthly salary of Rs 18,000. His responsibilities included managing customer payments, depositing daily collections into bank accounts, handling municipal tax payments, and processing online tax payments for vehicle registrations.
Discovery of Financial Discrepancies
During an internal audit conducted for the financial year 2022-23 in July-August 2024, severe discrepancies were uncovered. Shah alleged that payments collected from customers for vehicle purchases and municipal taxes were neither deposited into the showroom's bank accounts nor forwarded to the relevant authorities. Specifically, the complaint detailed that Pandya collected Rs 26.5 lakh from 631 customers for municipal tax purposes but failed to deposit this amount with the municipal corporation. Additionally, Rs 23.4 lakh received from 20 customers for vehicle purchases was reportedly not credited to the office account. An extra Rs 15,600, withdrawn for regional transport office tax payments, was also found to be unaccounted for, bringing the total alleged misappropriation to approximately Rs 50 lakh.
Confrontation and Legal Actions
When confronted about the missing funds, Pandya initially provided evasive responses. However, he later issued a cheque for Rs 50 lakh, dated December 30, 2024, purportedly to cover the embezzled amount. Unfortunately, this cheque was returned on January 7, 2025, due to insufficient funds in the account. In response, Shah filed a cheque dishonour complaint before a metropolitan magistrate's court. As no repayment was made despite this legal step, he escalated the matter by approaching the Sarkhej police, who have since registered an official offence against Pandya.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about financial mismanagement and fraud in small to medium-sized businesses, underscoring the importance of rigorous internal audits and accountability measures. Authorities are currently investigating the matter further to determine the full extent of the alleged fraud and ensure justice is served.
