The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the State Crime Branch (CB) on Friday arrested three more persons in connection with a bank fraud case at the Allahabad Bank Gandarpur branch, Cuttack in which 85 persons, including a senior manager of the bank, were involved.
Papun Pradhan of Dutukagaon of the Tikabali police limits, Saroj Kumar Pradhan of Saraipali of the G Udayagiri police limits and Suraj Digal of the Badagada police station area of Kandhamal district staying at Jayadev Vihar here, were booked under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, 341 of IPC and forwarded to court.
In February this year, the EOW had arrested six persons, including a senior manager of the bank, an employee of the Cuttack Drainage Division who had masterminded the crime, and four other persons who had posed as staff of the drainage division.
CB Additional Superintendent of Police Rajendra Patnaik said Establishment Officer (EO) of the Cuttack Drainage Division, a former bank manager along with 85 employees acting as beneficiaries had taken loans fraudulently to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore from a nationalised bank in Cuttack. Patnaik said the three persons arrested on Friday had taken a loan of Rs 3 lakh each by producing fake documents at the Allahabad Bank Gandarpur branch in Cuttack but did not repay the amount so far. Patnaik said, “Establishment Officer Rabindra Nayak had in a letter requested the bank authorities to provide loans to 85 employees.
Acting on the request, the bank had provided loans of more than Rs 2.25 crore to employees of the drainage division between December 31, 2009 and March 31, 2010. But when these people did not repay the loan, the bank started an inquiry and found that 78 of the applicants were not employees of the drainage division.” On October 10 last year, bank manager Pranab Kumar Ray, had lodged a complaint with the CB prompting the CB to start the inquiry.