Ludhiana: Worker decamps with ₹26 lakh from hosiery factory

The factory owner had not completed police verification of his employees; Ludhiana police will also be taking action against the employer as well

Failing to get a police verification of his employees cost heavy for a hosiery factory owner of Model Town as one of his workers decamped with ₹26 lakh cash from his office on Monday.

Rajesh Prajapati of Rafiganj of Bihar who had decamped with ₹26 lakh from a hosiery factory In Ludhiana. (Ht Photo)

The worker has been identified as Rajesh Prajapati of Rafiganj of Bihar and police teams have been dispatched to the location where he is believed to be hiding.

Complainant Amit Khurana of Model Town said he owns a hosiery factory in Sundar Nagar. He had received some payments from the market and kept the cash, his bank cheque books and other documents in a bag and locked it in an almirah in his office, before leaving for home.

The next day when he reached the office, he was shocked to see that the cash was missing. He scanned the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the office and found Rajesh Prajapati stealing the money. He immediately sounded the police and filed a complaint.

The factory owner added that the accused had been working in the hosiery for the past seven years. During the lockdown, he had gone back to Bihar but had returned four months ago. Apart from working in the hosiery, Prajapati used to serve water and tea to him and his guests, so he had access to the office.

Daresi station house officer, sub-inspector Davinder Singh said a case under Sections 381 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered.

The SHO added that several teams have been formed for the arrest of the accused.

The cop further said the hosiery owner has around 150 employees and none of them have undergone police verification. Police will also take action against the hosiery owner as per the law.

Joint commissioner of police (JCP, headquarters) J Elanchezhian has already issued orders to city residents to get police verification of their domestic helps, tenants and workers.