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POLTD/0708/ 0249
SUSPECTED OFFENCE
False Accounting
Name: Seema Misra
Rank: Sub Postmaster Identification 4
Code:
Office: West Byfleet SPOB Office: 126023
Age: Age:
Service: 2 Years 7 Service: 30 June 2005
Months
Nat Ins No:
Home Address: eee GRoO.}.7I©™I.. I
Contract for Services 14 January 2008 on the authority of Elaine Ridge
Suspended:
If applicable to be Royal Mail Group (including Post Office Ltd)/Crown
prosecuted by : Prosecutor
Designated Dave Pardoe, Senior Security Manager Fraud
Prosecution Authority if Strand
applicable:
Discipline Manager: Elaine Ridge, Contracts and Services Manager
Discipline Manager
The brief circumstances leading to the suspension and interview of the Sub
postmaster named above are as follows;
On Monday 14 January 2008, Keith Noverre, Sue Le May and Chris Stevens,
i i m attended West Byfleet SPOB,
! _ _Iand reported a shortage in the
cash and stock of approximately £77,000.00, however this figure included a
known debt of £3,034.03.
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Mr Noverre informed me that when Ms Seema Misra, Subpostmaster,
attended the office, she had informed him that the account would be short by
between £50,000.00 and £60,000.00. Further to that Ms Seema told Mr
Noverre that the balances had been adjusted in order to produce a clear
trading statement.
At approximately 1410 on Monday 14 January 2008, I attended West Byfleet
SPOB accompanied by Lisa Allen and Jon Longman, Post Office Investigation
Managers. I spoke with Keith Noverre who informed me of the current
situation. I introduced myself and my colleagues to Ms Misra. Ms Misra
handed me two handwritten reports, both signed by herself. In the reports, Ms
Misra states the shortages are due to staff thefts from about one year ago.
She states that she made up a rem pouch and she was going to borrow
money from friends and family in order to fill it up. The note also states that
she wants to pay the losses back to Post Office Ltd.
Mr Noverre handed me two remittance pouches. Remittance pouch barcode
number 302124615598 contained a remittance out slip produced on 09
January 2008 for £13,000.00 and return advice slip, produced on 09 January
2008, which has been datestamped and signed by Ms Misra. Remittance
pouch barcode number 302124615581 contained a remittance out slip
produced on 09 January 2008 for £14,000.00 and return advice slip, produced
on 09 January 2008, which has been datestamped and signed by Ms Misra. It
should be noted that neither pouch contained any cash.
West Byfleet SPOB is located in a parade of shops in the centre of West
Byfleet town. The Post Office secure area is located at the rear of a retail
premises, and it should be noted that the secure area was generally in a tidy
condition. Ms Misra and her husband also own the retail premises, which
operates as a convenience store.
At 14.28 on Monday 14 January 2008 I cautioned Ms Misra in the presence of
Ms Allen and Mr Longman and Post Office form CS001 was completed. Ms
Misra agreed to a voluntary tape-recorded interview and indicated that she did
not require a solicitor. Further to this Ms Misra agreed to a voluntary search of
her home address.
At 15.19 Ms Misra informed me that she needed to count the shop takings and
prepare the banking. I asked Ms Misra if she would be prepared to pay any of
the shop takings back into the Post Office in order to reduce her losses. Ms
Misra agreed and said that she would pay back as much as she could, but had
to bank some in order to cover bills. I explained to Ms Misra that any money
repaid would be accepted without prejudice to any further action that may be
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taken. In total the shop takings amounted to £2,975.00, of which Ms Misra
handed me £475.00. Ms Misra was handed Post Office form CS025, without
prejudice receipt.
Ms Allen made a notebook entry detailing the events of that afternoon.
At 16.25 a search commenced at iwhere
Ms Misra, her husband and child reside. Ms Misra was offered a Post Office
friend for the search, which she declined. However her husband Mr Davinder
Kumar Misra was present and witnessed the search. The search concluded
at 16.37 and no items were seized. Post Office forms CS005 and CS005c
were completed.
At 1725 on Monday 14 January 2008, in an office above West Byfleet SPOB, I
commenced a tape-recorded interview with Ms Misra. Also present was Mr
Longman. Ms Misra was re-cautioned and reminded of her legal rights. Post
Office form CS001 side b was completed. Ms Misra also completed form
CS003 indicating that she did not required a Post Office friend present.
In summary, during interview, Ms Misra denied theft but admitted to false
accounting.
Ms Misra said that the shortages in the office, were due to previous staff
members stealing from her. She added that the loss had been carried for over
ayear. Ms Misra said that when they first took on the business, they kept on
the staff from the previous owner, and left them to run the office. She states
that after a while she noticed things weren’t right and a theft of £1,000.00 had
been reported to the Police. She added the members of staff either resigned
or were sacked as the losses were uncovered. Although only £1,000.00 had
been reported to the Police, Ms Misra said the loss was actually between
£89,000.00 and £90,000.00. Ms Misra confirmed that this loss had been
carried since around November 2006. Ms Misra added that they had been
paying money back into the account in order to try and reduce the loss.
Ms Misra explained that she would hide the shortages by not only falsifying the
cash on hand figure, but also falsely declaring cash in pouches or currencies
awaiting despatch. When shown Branch Trading Statement for Branch
Trading Period 08, 2006/2007 dated period 15 November to 14 December
2006 Ms Misra confirmed that the cash on hand figure of £27,993.73 and
currencies awaiting collection figure declared as £13,070.00 were both
falsified figures. When shown the Branch Trading Statement for Branch
Trading Period 02, 2007/2008 dated period 16 May to 16 June 2007 and the
Branch Trading Statement for Branch Trading Period 08, 2007/2008 dated
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period 14 November to 15 December 2007, Ms Misra confirmed that the
declared cash on hand figures and currencies awaiting collection were false
figures. Ms Misra confirmed that all Trading Statements since Branch Trading
Period 08, 2006/2007 were false accounts.
When asked what would have happened if she had shown the correct figures,
Ms Misra said that she would have had the Post Office taken away from her.
Ms Misra stated that it was a dishonest thing to do and that she had kept her
business afloat by doing this, but again said that she had been repaying
money back into the account.
When shown the 2 grey rem pouches found in the Post Office, together with
rem out receipts totalling £27,000.00, Ms Misra said that she was hoping to
get the money from family, friends and the shop takings. Ms Misra confirmed
that the figures had been entered onto Horizon as awaiting collection despite
the money not actually being present.
Ms Misra confirmed that she was the only person who had completed the
Branch Trading Statements at the office since 2007.
The interview was concluded at 18.29. The interview consisted of two tapes
and tape seals 060341 and 060342 were used to seal the same. I made a
notebook entry was made with regard to the tape-recorded interview with Ms
Misra.
Following the interview, Ms Misra completed forms GS033 antecedents and
NPAOO1.
-Ms. Misra.sianed.bank disclosure for three bank accounts held by
The £475.00 handed to me by Ms Misra has now been paid into the Bank of
Ireland, Post Office Ltd Investigation Team Recovery account. The
transaction was completed at Littlehampton Branch Office on 16 January
2008.
To date no witness statements have been obtained. Potential witnesses in
this case would include Keith Noverre, Sue Le May, Chris Stevens, Jon
Longman and Lisa Allen. There is no known reason why any of the witnesses
would not be reliable, should this case proceed to prosecution.
The actual loss to Post Office Ltd in this case is £74,609.84.
A summarised transcript of the interview is available. I hold the master tapes
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and original evidence at my Littlehampton Office.
This report is submitted for the current position to be seen and noted and for
consideration for any disciplinary action required.
Adrian Morris
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