Embezzlement Scandal Rocks St. Joseph Convent School in Patna, Rs 52 Lakh Allegedly Siphoned Off

Patna: A significant case of alleged embezzlement, amounting to Rs 52 lakh, has come to light at St. Joseph Convent School, a prominent girls’ institution in Patna. The school’s principal, Sister Pushpita CJ, on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Pirbahor police station against a female office attendant and her husband, accusing them of manipulating student fees. Police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

According to the principal’s complaint, Neerja Preeti Minj, a resident of Khunti Pokta Lapung in Jharkhand, was appointed as an office attendant in the school in 2018. Her responsibilities included collecting monthly and other necessary fees from students and depositing them through a bank employee.

Unexplained Absence and Discrepancies Uncovered

The irregularities came to light after Minj went on a month’s leave starting April 30, with an expected return date of June 2. However, she failed to report back. When contacted, her husband, Shekhar Kujur, cited her illness as the reason for her continued absence.

As the school’s audit approached, Minj was summoned and eventually arrived at the school with her husband on July 5. During the reconciliation of accounts for the financial year 2024-2025, a discrepancy of approximately Rs 52 lakh was discovered in the school’s accounts. When confronted, Minj reportedly behaved rudely and subsequently left the premises.

Fake Receipts and Police Action

Acting on the directives of senior officials, a detailed matching of the collected fees with the students’ ledgers was conducted, which confirmed the fraud of around Rs 52 lakh. Further inquiries with parents revealed that after paying fees, they were issued fake receipts, and these transactions were never recorded in the students’ official account statements.

Consequently, Principal Sister Pushpita CJ has filed a case against Neerja Preeti Minj and her husband, Shekhar Kujur (resident of Sial Phoda, Patratu, Jharkhand), for the alleged embezzlement of funds. The police investigation is underway to ascertain the full extent of the fraud and bring the culprits to justice.