NAGPUR, June 15: Surendra Vishwanath Bhalekar wrote accounts for the Lakadganj-based Amar Dal Mills but displayed his accountability or rather lack of it, by defrauding his employer. What he had not accounted for was the law catching up with him after a blatant forgery which fetched him Rs 2.57 lakh.

The youth recently landed behind bars at his native place, Gram Badpani, in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh.

Surendra had withdrawn the money in two instalments from the firm's account by forging the signatures of his paymasters. He had been working with Mavjibhai Versi Shah, owner of Amar Dal Mills, since 1994. He used to write accounts for Mavji's firm as well as for another firm owned by Mavji's son, Mukesh.

Over a period, he earned the trust of his employers so much so that they gave him access to the cheque books and accounts book of the two firms.

After effecting the second withdrawal, Surendra did the vanishing trick and it was only when Mavjibhai's nephew collected the bank statement on June 3 that he came to know about the two withdrawals.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.