The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Bhubaneswar wing, which is probing the alleged gold loan fraud worth Rs 13.22 crore at the Gramya Bank’s Dumuduma branch here, conducted raids at eight different places on Thursday in the city as a part of its investigation process.
The CBI sleuths conducted raids at the office and residences of suspended Odisha Gramya Bank’s Dumduma branch manager Kalindi Charan Nayak, jewel appraiser of the branch Manabhanjan Sahoo and Shibani Builders owner Ratikanta Kanungo.
The CBI officials detained Kanungo in connection with the case and also conducted simultaneous raids on the residences of Nakul Parida, Bijan Sahoo, Anil Kumar Das, Purusottam Sahoo and Suryanarayan Sahoo who according to bank records had taken loan to the tune of Rs 13.22 crore from the bank’s Dumduma branch by mortgaging fake gold jewellery in December 2012.
The sleuths are inquiring about the property details of the bank officials and the five persons who raised the loan by mortgaging imitation gold jewellery weighing 66 kg.
Notably, the fraud came to light during a joint routine inspection in December last year and then Odisha Gramya Bank general manager (Head Office) SK Mishra had suspended Dumduma branch manager Nayak and removed jewel appraiser Sahoo for the offence as the duo was the prime suspects.
According to the guideline, the annual average sanction of jewellery loan of Dumuduma branch is nearly Rs 4 crore. But surprisingly, the branch manager had cleared and approved Rs 13.22 crore jewellery loan in just three months which forced the head office to conduct an inquiry.
After receiving a written complaint from the bank authorities, the CBI officials had seized some loan-related documents. Jewellery appraiser of the branch Manabhanjan Sahoo is absconding. CBI inquiry into the case is on and the culprits would be arrested very soon, official sources said.