Two more held in Rs 3.7 cr bank fraud case

Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police has arrested two more persons, including a woman, in connection with Rs 3.7 crore fraud case, a police officer said on Sunday.

The EOW arrested the prime accused Saroj Kanta Mohapatra, ex-branch manager of a private bank in Puri district, and his friend Angel Mishra on Saturday.

Earlier, Tanmay Kumar Maharana, the ex-asset officer of the bank’s branch, was arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh, the police officer said.

The arrests were made in connection with a case registered by the bank’s General Manager in Bhubaneswar accusing Saroj Kanta Mohapatra and Tanmay Kumar Maharana of sanctioning 35 fictitious loans (majorly MUDRA loans) amounting to Rs 3.7 crore, mostly in favour of their close relative and acquaintances, the officer said.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the BDO of Pipili block had requested the bank for a flexi fixed deposit (FFD) of Rs 3.7 crore in 2018.

It was also falsely intimated by the bank that the amount had been deposited in the Flexi account, giving the details of the interest accumulated thereupon, the officer said.

In 2022, when the BDO sought the details of the Flexi account and the statements of the account, the bank intimated that no such FFD has ever been created from the accounts of BDO, he said. The investigation also found that the entire misappropriated loan amount of Rs 3.7 crore was directly or indirectly diverted to the bank accounts of Angel Mishra.

The EOW said the accused Angel is the classmate of the accused Saroj, and she was also involved in a fraud case registered in Khandagiri police station in 2022.

Mohapatra was also involved in a bank fraud of Rs 18 crore registered by Bhopal STF in 2020.