Missing money ‘an ingredient’ in Sanjeev’s actions, say gardaí
Gardaí said Mr Chada’s had lost significant sums of money recently while trading shares online and was under investigation in relation to the alleged embezzlement of around €50,000 from Ballinkillen Community Centre.
Mr Chada, who ran an IT consultancy business from the family home in Ballinkillen, outside Bagenalstown, had worked as a volunteer in the local community centre for some time.
A substantial amount of money, up to €50,000, is thought to be unaccounted for, mainly from the centre’s bar, which is open seven days a week.
Community sources indicated that there had been concerns about “discrepancies” in the bar’s takings since around February.
“There were rumours going around about money missing, but nothing specific,” said one source.
But he said he didn’t get the impression it was big matter: “There was not major issue, no pressure, no talk of charges being pushed for or anything like that.”
He said he never heard Mr Chada’s name being mentioned: “No, it was a general rumour of a discrepancy. I heard no names being mentioned, including his.”
He said the parents of Mr Chada’s wife Kathleen, Patsy and Willie Murphy, were “highly regarded” in the area and deeply involved in the community, including the centre and the Catholic Church.
“Even if Sanjeev was involved in that, why such an extreme reaction, why the kids? Maybe he was ashamed or something, but that doesn’t explain it.”
Another local source who knows the Murphy family well, said people could not understand why this had happened.
“There were no signs and the drip feed of information coming out is very upsetting,” he said.
“What makes a perfectly normal husband go off with the kids and not come back? What triggers that?”
He said a lot of families were suffering stress due to financial pressures, but said he could not understand what could lead someone to hurt their children.
Garda sources have already confirmed that Mr Chada was under investigation as part of their inquiries into the missing money, but said their investigation had been at an initial stage and that Mr Chada hadn’t even been interviewed yet. But they said the missing money was an “ingredient” in his actions.
They also confirmed that Mr Chada had been losing money buying and selling shares online.
“He was losing money dealing shares and that might have been a trigger of some sort,” said a source, adding that there could have been other factors.
A lot will depend on what he tells detectives during his period of detention at Westport Garda Station.
