Conduct & Disciplinary Rules – 46

DEPARTMENTAL ENQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS

3. TIME LIMIT FOR INQUIRY AND INVESTIGATION

(i) The delay in taking up departmental investigation is a potential area of customer irritation besides frustrating the inquiries. The pace of settlement of claims largely depends on prompt completion of departmental investigations. The delay in this sector is more pronounced in money order frauds, primarily due to lack of promptitude in requisitioning paid vouchers from the Accounts Unit and to some extent owing to lack of adequate response from the Accounts Units as well. In the interest of early completion of the Departmental investigation, it is necessary that the Divisional Heads promptly requisite the vouchers from the Director of Accounts and bring the cases where lack of response by Accounts Units as noticed to the knowledge of Regional Director or the P.M.G.

(ii) In view of increasing need for quickening the pace of investigation, it is hereby laid down that departmental investigation in all frauds should be completed within six months from the date of detection of frauds.

(iii) Special attention is also required to be given on Circle level investigation. It is seen that in a number of cases, if Circle level investigation is taken up after much delay even after years the primary objective of the analysis of modus operandi of frauds, quickening the process of settlement of claims etc. are defeated. It is therefore reiterated that the Head of circles should personally ensure that these Circle level investigations are taken up by the appropriate authorities without any delay.

(iv) Similarly since the Circle level investigations are taken up at the instance of/on behalf of the Heads of Circle, the reports should invariably be reviewed by the P.M.G/Addl., P.M.G and a copy of the report should be sent to the Directorate with the remarks/comments of P.M.G/Addl., P.M.G along with a copy of report in S.Q.F.

(D.G Posts No. 8-1/Rlg/87-INV dt. 15-1-1988).

4. CASES TO BE REPORTED TO THE HEAD OF THE CIRCLE/REGION AND DIRECTORATE

The following cases should always be reported to the Head of the Circle:

(a) Highway robberies and attempted highway robberies of the mail.

(b) Losses of mails due to accident and air-crash.

(c) Cases of house breaking and theft in which loss to Government is involved.

(d) Cases of fraud and loss or misappropriation of Government money.

(e) Improper or fraudulent use etc. of postage stamps. 

(f) Loss of or tampering with registered articles of all kinds or damage to their contents in which loss to Government is involved.

(g)The death of or serious injury to a postal official by violence or accident.

(h) All occurrences of a grave character, such as the destruction of offices by fire, the loss of mail boats and attack on offices by dacoities etc.

(i) All cases under section-52 of the Post Office Act.

(i) Loss of the records of a Post Office.

(k) Loss or theft of Indian Postal Orders and Post Office certificates from the stock of a post office.

Note-1.

The Supdt. should immediately inform the Head of the Circle by telegraph in the cases of

(i) Theft, loss, tampering, robbery and shocking reports of frauds and losses involving Rs. 10,000/- and above, report on which appear in the local newspapers.

(ii) A mail bag being lost, stolen, destroyed by fire etc. and

(iii) Death of an official while on duty and if important mails are concerned, the Head of the Circle will notify the loss to the public through the press. In all other cases the local Postmaster will exhibit on the notice board the particulars as to the number and date, as also the name of the office of posting of the registered and insured letter or parcel mail articles lost.

(Rule 170 of P & T Manual Vol. V).

Note: The report should invariably be submitted to the Regional P. M. G, in addition to Head of the Circle. As per the existing instruction, the loss and fraud cases of involvement exceeding Rs. 500000/- should be reported to the Directorate by the Regional PMG/C.O. by telegram.