Kolkata, July 31 (Reporter) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Kolkata zonal office, has filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) before a Special Court (PMLA), Nagpur, against a postal department official from West Bengal who swindled over Rs 4.49 crore of depositors by forging their signatures between 2014-2018. The court took congnizance of the ED complaint against Lakshman Hembram, Sub-Postmaster, Postal Department, under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 that alleged that the probe agency started investigation on the basis of a first information report (FIR) registered by Moyna Police Station, Purba Medinipur. The court took cognizance of the prosecution complaint filed on July 29. According to the ED complaint, Hembram used to effect premature final closure of fixed or term deposits (TD) accounts in post office by forging signature of the account holders and transfer the premature amount/maturity proceeds of those accounts to the saving accounts of the same account holders without knowledge of those account holders. Thereafter, he used to siphon off the said amount from their savings accounts by way of fraudulent withdrawals from those accounts, the ED said. "The defalcation amount stood at Rs 4.49 crore, which was used by Hembram for purchase of immovable properties either in his name or in the name of his family members," the ED said. He also allegedly diverted funds for making investments in other businesses to earn profit. Earlier a search operation was conducted by the ED, at the residential properties of Hembram, and incriminating documents related to his involvement in the fraud, cash amounting to Rs 5.25 lakh and bank balance of Rs 5.97 lakh were found and frozen. During the investigation, a provisional attachment order was issued wherein movable and immovable properties pertaining to Hembram worth Rs 3.46 crore were attached, which were...////...