CBI Uncovers ₹2.81 Crore Postal Fraud in Bharuch; 12 Employees Booked

Gandhinagar/Bharuch – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Gandhinagar has registered a major Regular Case (FIR No. RC0292026A0001) against 12 officials of the Department of Posts in Bharuch Division for allegedly misappropriating ₹2,81,40,000 (Two Crore Eighty-One Lakh Forty Thousand) of government money through systematic fraud in Post Office Savings Bank (POSB) schemes, primarily Time Deposit (TD) accounts.The case has been registered under Sections 316(5), 344, and 61(2) read with 316(5) & 344 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The offences include criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and criminal misconduct by public servants.The complaint was lodged by Mr. Bheemarai Yallappa Tashildar, Superintendent of Post Offices, Bharuch Division, Bharuch, Gujarat, on January 27, 2026, and formally registered today. The fraud allegedly took place between August 9, 2024, and December 14, 2025, at ONGC Colony Sub Post Office, Ankleshwar IE Sub Post Office, and other linked post offices under Bharuch Division.Main Accused and Modus OperandiThe prime accused is Mr. Yasinbhai Abdulbhai Ghanchi, who was then Sub Postmaster (Officiating) at ONGC Colony Sub Post Office (now temporarily attached at Bharuch Head Post Office and reportedly absent from duty). He allegedly misused his Finacle User ID 10101641 and Supervisor ID 10101641_SU to perpetrate the fraud in connivance with other postal staff.According to the detailed complaint, the modus operandi involved:

1. Customers invested money through SAS agents (Smt. Hansaben K. Dodiya, Shri Maheshkumar Kanaiyalal Kayasth, and Smt. Shilpaben M. Joshi), who handed over cheques/cash and passbooks to Ghanchi for Time Deposit accounts.
2. Investments were accepted as “agent business” without issuing proper Agent Receipt books.
3. Instead of opening genuine TD accounts and crediting funds to government accounts, Ghanchi fraudulently converted POSB cheque withdrawals into cash and issued fake TD passbooks to customers.
4. System entries were manipulated to show fictitious “Tran for funding A/c……” entries linked to accounts in other states or divisions to conceal cash withdrawals.
5. Agent commissions were credited as cash deposits into SAS agents’ POSB accounts to hide the fact that no genuine TD accounts were opened in the Finacle system.
6. Fraudulently withdrawn amounts were credited to POSB accounts of subordinate employees, who were then instructed to transfer the money via UPI/Google Pay to Ghanchi’s personal bank/POSB accounts, often routing funds through multiple layers to avoid detection.
7. Fake passbooks were deliberately handed over after delays to prevent early verification by depositors.

The Departmental Inquiry was triggered after an AML (Anti-Money Laundering) Alert No. 237952281. A total of 56 fraudulent cases have been identified so far involving Time Deposit and other POSB schemes. The misappropriated amount stands at ₹2.81 crore as on January 23, 2026, and may rise further as the probe continues.List of Accused and Their Alleged RolesAll accused were working at ONGC Colony Sub Post Office or Ankleshwar IE Sub Post Office during the period of offence and have since been shifted to other offices:

1. Mr. Yasinbhai Abdulbhai Ghanchi – Prime accused; misused Finacle IDs for fake entries and fake passbooks.
2. Mr. Pritambhai Dipakbhai Vasava (then Postman, ONGC Colony SO; now Postman, Nabipur SO) – POSB account credited multiple times; funds transferred via Google Pay to Ghanchi.
3. Mr. Bhavesh Chandubhai Patel (then MTS, ONGC Colony SO; now MTS, Bharuch HO) – POSB account credited; funds transferred via Google Pay.
4. Mr. Hemant Kumar Sain (then PA, ONGC Colony SO; now PA, Netrang SO) – Multiple credits; funds transferred via Google Pay.
5. Mr. Parth Jashvantbhai Patel (then MTS, ONGC Colony SO; now MTS, Bharuch HO) – Credited amounts transferred to his account and to others (Rajjak Pathan & Asif Pathan).
6. Mr. Gaurav D. Tanna (then PA, Ankleshwar IE SO; now PA, Rajpipla MDG) – Credited amounts transferred via Google Pay; aware of suspicious transactions but did not report.
7. Mr. Prafullkumar K. Parmar (then PA, ONGC Colony SO; now PA, Vadodara East Division) – POSB account credited by Ghanchi.
8. Mrs. Jayshriben R. Gohil (then Postman, ONGC Colony SO; now Postman, Bharuch HO) – POSB account credited; funds transferred via Google Pay.
9. Mr. Asif A. Ghanchi (then GDS, Ankleshwar IE SO; now GDS, Panoli SO) – Multiple credits transferred via Google Pay.
10. Mr. Abhishek Kumar (then PA, Ankleshwar IE SO; now PA, Bharuch HO) – Multiple credits transferred via Google Pay.
11. Mr. Nirmal R. Surti (then SPM, Ankleshwar IE SO; now PA, Bharuch HO) – Suspicious transactions verified using his Supervisor ID; aware but did not report.
12. Mr. Mayursinh Amarsinh Mahida (husband of Mrs. Jayshriben R. Gohil) – Joint POSB account credited with over ₹15 lakh; funds later transferred to customers’ accounts.

Previous approvals under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) have been obtained from the competent authority (Superintendent of Post Offices, Bharuch Division) against all 11 public servants named above. The FIR also names “unknown public servant(s) & private person(s)”.Investigation DetailsThe CBI ACB has entrusted the investigation to Shri Mukesh Kumar Meena, Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI ACB Gandhinagar (Badge No. 150878). The FIR was recorded by Dy. Inspector General of Police Kalaichelvan Chandran, Officer-in-Charge, ACB Gandhinagar.No delay was reported in lodging the complaint. The case has been registered and taken up for investigation. The FIR has been read over to the complainant, admitted as correctly recorded, and a free copy provided.This is the third major corruption case registered by CBI ACB units across the country on February 19, 2026, highlighting a nationwide crackdown on graft in government departments.