Bhubaneswar: There had been a bank fraud of Rs.1.32 Cr which has been cracked by the EOW and two people have been arrested in this connection on Tuesday. The EOW had registered a case on the allegation of Swaraj Mohanty, Sr. Branch Manager, Bank of India, Remuna Branch, Balasore.
The case was filed against Pravat Das and Ex-Business Correspondent of the said bank for dishonestly falsifying/forging the pension accounts of two dead persons namely Parsuram Giri and Sabitri Behera and for misappropriating Rs.1.32 Cr. by using their pension accounts.
It was revealed on investigation that Shri Pravat Das was appointed as Business Correspondent of Bank of India, Remuna Branch, Balasore, and was rendering assistance to the bank employees in the matter of preparation of scrolls i.e. preparation of pension payment figure of pensioners and uploading the files for receiving the pension from State Govt.
He dishonestly and in conspiracy with others had entered wrong and excessive amount of pension in the pension account of Parsuram Giri and Sabitri Behera, knowing well that the pensioners are
dead since 27.12.2014 and 22.03.2014 respectively. Pravat Das falsified two pension accounts and committed forgery by adding higher amount of pension in the pension accounts.
He illegally enhanced the figure of pension and withdrew the same by using the ATM cards those he managed to obtain even after the death of the pension holders. As found, Pravat Kumar Das misappropriated Rs. 65 lakhs in the pension account of deceased Parsuram Giri and Rs. 67 Lakhs in the pension account of deceased Sabitri Behera.
Thus, the total amount of misappropriation in the bank fraud was Rs.1.32 Cr. Further, it was revealed on investigation that Brahmajyoti Behera, son of deceased Sabitri Behera and a good friend of Pravat Das, in connivance with Pravat Das and Ex-Branch Manager Durga Charan Panda, managed to obtain ATM card in the name of her deceased mother on 26.04.2014 whereas his mother has
died on 22.03.2014.
He withdrew about Rs.66,35,793/- from the pension account by using the ATM card. Some amount has been transferred from the personal account of Brahmajyoti Behera to Pravat Das. Durga Charan Panda, the then Branch Manager of BOI, Remuna Branch in connivance with BC Pravat Das and Brahmajyoti Behera had issued the ATM cards in the name of Sabitri Behera and Parsuram Giri knowing well that they are dead.
The ATM card has been received by Brahmajyoti Behera. The ATM cards issued deliberately after the death of the pensioners were used to withdraw the pension amount that has been falsely enhanced by the trio pursuant to the conspiracy. The pension amount of Parsuram Giri was fraudulently enhanced from Rs.10,542/- to Rs.1,90,542/- and that of Sabitri Behera was enhanced from 8,400/- to 70,894/-. The enhanced pension amount that to in the name of dead persons was withdrawn till October’ 2018.
The fraudulence was committed without obtaining the yearly live certificate of the pensioners.
Basing on evidence CS No.34 dt.31.12.2021 U/s 419/420/467/468/471/409/380/120-B IPC r.w Sec.66 (C) & 66 (D) of was submitted against Durga Charan Panda, Pravat Das and Brahmajyoti Behera.
Designated Court under OPID Act, Balasore, delivered the judgement today i.e. on 08.10.2024 in the above case holding the accused persons namely Pravat Das and Brahmajyoti Behera guilty U/s
419/420/467/468/471/120-B IPC r.w Sec.66 (C) & 66 (D) of IT Act and sentenced them to undergo Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for seven years and to pay fine of Rs. 3.75 Lakhs each.
On default of fine both the accused person in the bank fraud case Pravat Das and Brahmajyoti Behera will undergo further imprisonment of 1 year each. The trial against Durga Charan Panda has been split up and NBW has been issued against him by the Hon’ble Court. Pranab Kumar Panda, Spl. PP, OPID Court, Balasore was conducting the prosecution. During trial, 519 documents, 170 exhibits, 10 MOs and 18 witnesses were relied upon. DSP Trilochan Sethy was the investigating officer of the case and DSP Ramesh Singh was the holding IO after the transfer of DSP T. Sethy.
