Imphal, December 06 2008: POLICE ARRESTED a salesman alleging him as one of the conspirators in fraudulent withdrawal of a sum of Rs.9,77,000 from a shop dealing in iron bar at Thangal Bazar, even as the main accused in the case, the manager is still at large, police said.

Police picked up the salesman named Md Bipun Hussain Lasker (30), son of Md Abdul Khalip, hailing from Nandapur village in Cachar district, Assam and presently residing at Minuthong Hatta Golapati, as one of the conspirators in a case registered with the Imphal City Police on Thursday.

He was produced before a court.

The court remanded him in police custody for two days till tomorrow.

On last Thursday, the City police registered a case against one Vishwanath Kumar Shah (31), son of Rash Bihari of Sirsia village currently residing at Major Khul, Imphal, working as manager of an iron bar shop.

The owner of the shop Sikandar Shah lodged a complaint alleging him of stealing an accumulated amount of Rs.9,77,000 from the daily sale proceeds of his shop in different period of time.

The misappropriation in the account of the shop was discovered by the owner when he, on suspicion, checked some bills and compared the stored items in the godown, the complaint report said.

During the checking, he (shop owner) detected that the manager (Vishwanath) has sold iron rods valued about Rs 3,14,000 to a customer but produced a forged chalan of selling iron rods valued only Rs 1,70,000.Vishwanath was appointed as manager in his shop on payment of Rs.5,000 per month as salary and engaged in checking the stock of the shop.

The owner, in his complaint note also said that earlier also on October 25 this year, the manager was caught red handed while he was trying to transfer a sum of Rs.1,54,000 in the account of his wife.

During the course of police investigation into the case, it was revealed that the manager has been misappropriating the sale proceed of the shop since 2006, the source disclosed citing the instances.

He had deposited Rs.25,000 in a bank account no.11745336089 under his wife's name on October 2006.He also deposited same amount of Rs.25,000 to account no.2033400692 in the name of his grand father Ramsagar Prasad of Parsa village in Bihar and to account no.10352084747 in the name of one Boby Gupta daughter of Ramsagar.

All the amounts were from the sale proceed of the shop, accused the complainant stating that by doing like this, Vishwanath has stolen Rs.1,70,000, Rs 5,78,00, Rs.1,54,000 and Rs.25,000 for three times.

The alleged accused Vishwanath has been missing since form the day the owner discovered misappropriation of the fund but a salesman of the shop who is believed to be conspired with the manager in misappropriating the funds was picked up by the police on the next day of receiving the complaint note, the source said.

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