Uttarakhand STF arrested Manoj Kumar R, the former branch manager of South Indian Bank (SIB), Chakrata Road, Dehradun and native of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu along with Jacobkovur, the then assistant branch manager, SIB, Dehradun and Kerala native from Tamil Nadu who were allegedly involved in a scam of Rs 34 crore in the bank. The court had issued non-bailable warrants against the duo.
The accused had withdrawn around Rs 34 crore after submitting false documents in the bank. A case under sections 420/467/468/471/120b of IPC had been registered against the two accused in Kotwali Police Station here in 2012. The SSP, STF had formed a joint team headed by inspector DC Dhaundiyal consisting of STF and local police that succeeded in arresting the duo. Both the accused will be brought to Dehradun after securing transit bail from the court.
Jacobkovur was arrested on May 31 and Manoj Kumar R on June 1 from Tamil Nadu. They are accused of orchestrating a Rs 34 crore scam using either false documents or by showing false fixed deposit and other fraudulent means. After a case was registered in Kotwali Police Station and then SSP had handed this case to sub-inspector Nirvikar Singh for investigation. This case was then transferred to STF, Uttarakhand and in regards to delay in investigation, preliminary inquiry was ordered against Singh. In the inquiry, Nirvikar Singh was found guilty and a departmental inquiry against Singh was recommended inquiry under section 14 (1) of Police Act against Singh is under process. According to the preliminary inquiry, Singh purportedly kept investigation pending in this case for months which benefited the accused and prevented the police from taking action against the accused on time. However, Nirvikar Singh alleged, “A one sided inquiry was conducted against me and I was not given enough time to explain the reason for the delay in investigation. I am being made a scapegoat through departmental inquiries set up against me because I had not followed the instruction of the senior police officers who were trying to influence the police investigation in the case of forest land purchase by the Director General of Police (DGP) BS Sidhu,” he said.