The CBI has registered a case against Shibaji Panja, a relative of former Union Minister Ajit Panja, and two others for allegedly cheating IDBI Bank of over Rs180 crore. The agency has booked Panja, Kaustav Ray and Vinay Bafna, all three directors of Kolkata-based RP Infosystem ltd. on a complaint from IDBI Bank ltd, Kolkata. Panja is also considered a close aid of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“Searches were conducted at six places in Kolkata area in the office and residential premises of the accused persons which led to recovery of incriminating documents including laptop, pen drives and internal hard disc etc,” an agency spokesperson said here, adding further investigation is continuing. The three accused persons had allegedly availed credit facilities from IDBI Bank by furnishing false stock/debtors statement and cheated the bank. Through the fraudulent documents submitted along with the loan application, the accused persons caused a loss of Rs 180.44 crore to the bank. The trio has been booked for offences relating to 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine forged document or record) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).