Banker held for 18L fraud - Accounts opened, credit cards issued with fake papers

TT, April 22: The relationship manager of a private bank in Salt Lake was arrested today for his role in fraudulent transactions using details of account-holders that left the bank poorer by several lakhs.

Sutirtha Saha, 28, relationship manager of Axis Bank's BD Block branch, had teamed up with colleague Anupam Bhowmik to open several fake accounts, for each of which they received a commission. These accounts were used to issue credit cards and huge amounts of money were withdrawn, running up dues of over Rs 18 lakh.

Sales manager Bhowmik was arrested a fortnight ago and his interrogation led the cops to Saha, who was picked up from Salt Lake early today.

Saha acted as the final checkpoint for verification and clearance of documents required for opening accounts and acquiring credit cards.

"Saha would collect Rs 3,000 for each fake account he cleared. There was no verification of documents, photographs or even PAN card," a senior officer of Bidhannagar North police station said.

The bank suspected something amiss when nine credit card defaulters couldn't be traced. Manoj Kumar Singh, the regional manager of the bank's Shakespeare Sarani office, lodged a police complaint on October 24, 2016, against Supratim Jana, Joyeta Jana, Shasanka Jana, Dipaneeta Jana, Amitava Jana, Susavan Jana, Pratima Jana, Hiya Jana and Kajal Jana for cheating the bank of Rs 18.18 lakh. A case of cheating (420), criminal breach of trust (406), criminal conspiracy (120B) and forgery of valuable security or will (467) was filed.

Investigation revealed that these accounts were opened in November 2014 and a total of Rs 5 lakh deposited in IDBI Bank cheques. Soon after, credit cards were issued to the account-holders. "By September 2015, all nine accounts were emptied. The credit cards were used to withdraw cash up to the maximum limit," said an officer of the Bidhannagar police detective department. Further examination showed that the accounts had been opened with fake papers prepared by one Ujjal Kundu, who was arrested.

"The case pertains to an internal probe by Axis Bank and a police complaint filed by the bank. The matter is under investigation by the police," an official spokesperson of Axis Bank said.

None of the bank's account holders have been affected, but it is yet to be confirmed if any other bank details have been compromised with.

Cheat cuffs

Calcutta police arrested a youth from Giridih in Jharkhand for allegedly duping a person in Maniktala of Rs 2.65 lakh by promising to get a car loan sanctioned.