Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau.
The recent embezzlement of Rs 13.51 crore from the joint account of the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) of district Udham Singh Nagar and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at IndusInd Bank’s Rudrapur branch has taken a new turn with the discovery of ten suspicious accounts opened shortly before the fraud. Police investigations have revealed that these accounts, opened one to two months prior to the incident, could be central to the scheme.
The fraudulent withdrawal occurred through three fake cheques on August 28 and 31. The police launched an investigation following an FIR registration, focusing on tracing the money trail. Initial findings revealed that the embezzled amount was transferred to accounts in different banks—Nanaksar Infra in ICICI Bank in Chandigarh; Sawaria Traders in Axis Bank in Mumbai; and KPB Marine Service in Central Bank of India in Jaipur.
The probe took a crucial turn when investigators found that more than ten new accounts were opened at the IndusInd Bank branch a month or two before the embezzlement. “We are investigating these accounts for any unusual transactions or connections to the fraud. The timing of their creation raises suspicion,” said SP City Manoj Katyal.
Meanwhile, police have arrested the bank manager, Devendra Singh, and a female cashier, Priyam Singh, who have been sent to jail based on evidence. Efforts are also underway to trace five absconding suspects linked to the fraud. “We have applied for a warrant against the absconding accused,” said SSP Manikant Mishra.
In a partial recovery, the police have managed to freeze Rs 7.50 crore and have obtained a court order to restore the amount to the original account. The investigation continues to track down the remaining Rs 6 crore.
