New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS): A 59-year-old woman was arrested for embezzlement of government fund to the tune of Rs 13.85 crore, Police said on Saturday.

According to the police, "We received a complaint regarding misappropriation of government funds of Rs 5 crore on account of purchase of linen items etc. During further probe, it was found that these items (worth Rs 13.85 crore) were purchased on the basis of forged supply orders, no actual supply of items took place, and payment was released to the supplier firm of M/s Sneh Enterprises."

"The account statement of the firm confirmed receipt of payments for items which were never delivered. Scrutiny of the e-way bills revealed that vehicles shown as used for delivery of those goods to AIIMS, never delivered the same on any of the dates mentioned on e-way bills. Scrutiny of GPS logs of the vehicles appearing on the e-way bills shows their locations out of Delhi."

Police further said that this firm was a supplier and in business with AIIMS for many years. All the manual and digital records maintained at AIIMs for the purpose of such supplies revealed criminal misdeeds of the accused in connivance with the staff of AIIMS. It was found out during investigation, the accused secured forged supply orders in connivance with staff of AIIMS Delhi.

In response to forged supply orders, the accused firm submitted only invoices, delivery challans without physical delivery of the goods. The receipts of goods were not found in the registers of General Store. Bills were raised by the concerned staff of AIIMS, Delhi and got approved without the knowledge of authorised officials of AIIMS.

After getting these bills of 'sham deliveries' sanctioned, cheated amount was transferred to the account of the firm. The accused identified as Sneh Rani Gupta was produced before the designated court.

Further investigation of the case is in progress, Police added.