A former badminton prodigy turned postmaster is now behind bars for allegedly masterminding a Rs 35 lakh fraud that targeted vulnerable savings schemes in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district. The Ladli Laxmi fund, meant for girls’ futures, was among the victims, sparking outrage among depositors.
Dhar police detailed how Kunal Makwana, along with colleagues Nirmal Singh Pawar and Maple Singh Gundia, plundered customer money. The haul featured Rs 6.19 lakh siphoned from Ladli Laxmi Yojana via 38 misused National Savings Certificates in 2025, plus fixed deposit cheques worth Rs 29.6 lakh diverted illicitly.
The scheme’s sophistication is chilling: A Rs 6.6 lakh cheque for ASI Gokul Nargesh’s FD was misused, echoed by three more cheques totaling Rs 23 lakh. Fraudsters opened 56 phantom accounts, pocketing cash from innocent depositors.
Post scam detection, a departmental audit nailed the culprits, prompting suspensions and police action under cheating and criminal breach sections at Naugaon station.
Makwana’s fall from grace is stark. Hailed as a sports icon with Eklavya honors, he clinched victories in 1996-1999 All India Badminton meets, state titles, and international bouts for India, eventually leveraging his fame for a postal job.
Police tracked and arrested him in Narmadapuram, with court granting custody. Pawar and Gundia are on the run, facing a manhunt.
As probes deepen, the Rs 35 lakh figure might just be the tip, with full audits of records and accounts underway to expose any further depredations and restore shaken confidence.