BENGALURU
A city-based IT firm has filed a police complaint against one of its employees for allegedly misusing company funds worth Rs 27 lakh through an official credit card, triggering a criminal investigation by Varthur police.
The accused, identified as Soumya Ranjan Panda, a native of Odisha, was working as a system administrator at the company located on Sarjapur Road since 2022. According to the complaint filed by company representative Arjun Shetty, Panda was issued a corporate credit card with a limit of Rs 2 lakh to handle official expenses, with provisions to enhance the limit when required.
However, between October 2023 and January 2024, Panda allegedly exploited this facility and made unauthorised transactions amounting to Rs 27 lakh, far exceeding the permitted usage.
When questioned by the company management regarding the suspicious transactions, Panda reportedly claimed that he had been threatened by unidentified individuals from China and Pakistan. He allegedly stated that these individuals coerced him into making the payments, though no concrete evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim so far.
The complaint further states that Panda initially agreed to repay the misused amount in instalments but failed to do so. It is also alleged that he resorted to inappropriate behaviour during the dispute, including sending obscene images via email to senior management staff.
Additionally, the accused is said to have issued threats of self-harm when pressured to return the money, escalating concerns within the organisation.
Based on the complaint, Varthur police have registered a case against Panda under relevant sections pertaining to fraud, criminal breach of trust, and harassment. Officials said an investigation has been launched to examine the financial trail, verify the claims made by the accused, and determine the full extent of the alleged misuse.
Police are also looking into the possibility of cyber elements in the case, given the accused’s claims of international threats, though initial findings remain inconclusive.