Mumbai got a big shock when it was revealed that Prathmesh Pawar, a senior clerk at Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), had allegedly stolen Rs 21.8 lakh from the corporation’s income tax payment account. Pawar, 33, who lived in Khadakpada, Kalyan, went missing for a whole year before the police finally caught him in the Sion area last week. The scam came to light in June 2023 when Pawar vanished from his job and gave an excuse of being unwell. His junior tried to reach out to get the user ID and password for the crucial account Pawar handled. When that failed, the office team contacted the bank. Shockingly, they found out that Rs 21.8 lakh had been quietly shifted to Pawar’s personal SBI accounts. Nagpada police immediately filed an FIR accusing Pawar of forgery, breach of trust, and hacking under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The complaint said Pawar was in charge of income tax transactions through MSRTC’s SBI e-payment account. From April 12 to June 18, 2024, he allegedly used his official login to send the money in many small transactions to avoid suspicion. Pawar ran away after the scam was discovered. His family even reported him missing at Khadakpada Police Station. The police used technical tracking and found leads in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, but he stayed hidden for months. Finally, a tip led the police to his hideout in Sion. An official told reporters, "Despite months of search and technical tracing revealing his location in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, he remained untraceable until police received a tip-off about his presence at Sion." Now, Pawar is in police custody and was shown before a local court. The police are working hard to get back the stolen money. Evidence suggests that Pawar might have used the funds for stock trading. This case is a loud reminder of the dangers of misuse of official power and the need to keep a sharp eye on public money. Will the police recover the full amount? Only time will tell, but for now, the ex-clerk is behind bars and the investigation is blazing ahead.