Pune: A case of financial fraud has been registered against a former Accounts Officer of a Pune-based construction firm for allegedly misappropriating ₹14.31 lakh by forging signatures on cheques and transferring the amount into her personal account.

The accused, Anushree Anand Sawant (43, resident of Sahakarnagar), allegedly manipulated financial records to make it appear as if the funds were allocated for an SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) scheme.

The complaint was filed by Soujanya Suryakant Nikam (33, resident of Narayan Peth) at the Vishrambaug Police Station, following which the police registered a case against Sawant. The fraud is reported to have taken place over a span of five years, between February 2019 and April 20, 2024, at Kedar Associates, located in Sadashiv Peth.

Fraud Uncovered in Financial Records

According to police reports, Anushree Sawant, who was responsible for handling financial records at Kedar Associates, took advantage of her position by falsifying cheque transactions meant for SRA projects.

She allegedly forged the signatures of authorized signatories and misdirected the funds into her personal bank account instead of allocating them for the intended projects. Over the years, she reportedly siphoned off ₹14,31,272 in this manner.

The fraud was detected when SRA funds were found missing, despite records indicating the payments had been made. Upon internal verification, inconsistencies in financial transactions were identified, leading to an investigation. Following the complaint, Assistant Police Inspector Usgaonkar has taken charge of the investigation.