Representative image of money.
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A Maharashtra government-contracted employee reportedly stole over Rs 21 crore to live a lavish lifestyle, buying BMW vehicles and a 4 BHK apartment.
According to a report by News18, Harsh Kumar Kshirsagar, a contractual employee hired by Maharashtra on a salary of Rs 13k, allegedly defrauded the government for around Rs 21,59,38,000.
The husband of another such employee was also involved in the scheme, investigations revealed. Reportedly, he had acquired an SUV worth Rs 35 lakhs.
The two reportedly swindled the departmental sports complex administration of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar using internet banking services.
They opened an account in the name of the sports complex at the Indian Bank, intending it for government funds. Kshirsagar, Yashoda Shetty and her husband BK Jeevan, contract employees at the complex, then fabricated documents to bypass the need for the Deputy Sports Director's involvement in the transactions.
From there, they transferred the money to their respective accounts. This, went unnoticed for 6 months until it caught the eye of the departmental deputy director.
Following this, the accused spent the amount lavishly, purchasing a BMW car, a BMW bike, and a 4 BHK flat opposite the airport for his girlfriend. He reportedly even commissioned diamond-studded glasses.
His acquaintances were left astonished at his new lifestyle, unable to understand how he afforded it.
Kshirsagar is reportedly absconding.