In a plot straight out of a crime thriller, Harshal Kumar Kshirsagar, a 23-year-old computer operator earning just Rs 13,000 per month, has been accused of pulling off a jaw-dropping Rs 21.6 crore scam. The perpetrator was working at the state-run sports complex in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he commited the fraud.
Kshirsagar allegedly masterminded the fraud by creating a fake email address that closely mimicked the official one linked to the department’s bank account. Using an old letterhead, he tricked the bank into updating the email, granting him access to OTPs and confidential information.
Between July and December 2023, he quietly funneled Rs 21.6 crore into 13 different accounts using forged documents. All of this was done without raising any suspicion.
But this wasn’t just any fraud. Kshirsagar then went ahead to spend it all like a king. He bought a BMW worth Rs 1.2 crore, a Rs 1.3 crore SUV, and a Rs 32 lakh BMW bike. If that wasn’t enough, he gifted his girlfriend a lavish 4BHK apartment near the airport and even got himself diamond-studded glasses.
The scam however didn’t last long. When officials started to notice irregularities in the accounts they filed a complaint. This led to the detainment of two of Kshirsagar’s accomplices
His colleague Yashoda Shetty and her husband BK Jeevan, have been arrested. The couple allegedly helped forge documents, reportedly using the stolen money to buy a Rs 35 lakh SUV.
While Shetty and Jeevan are in custody, Kshirsagar remains on the run. The police have seized the luxury vehicles and are now chasing leads to recover the stolen funds and expose anyone else involved in this audacious heist.
