Khurda: Two years have passed since `18.38 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn from the MLA local area development (LAD) fund by forging cheques, but the Town police are yet to take action against the bank officials whose negligence led to the fraud.
Although six of the racketeers were arrested and `1.87 lakh was recovered from them, the police have not brought the employees of Bhadrak SBI branch, who allegedly had helped the racketeers, into the purview of investigation.
According to sources, `18,38,637 was fraudulently withdrawn from the MLA LAD fund by using a duplicate cheque and forged signature of the then additional block development officer (ABDO) in 2015.
The sum was withdrawn from the bank
account No 32880867799 through 12 cheques between October 15 and 31, 2015 from the Bhadrak SBI branch.
Former block development officer (BDO) Santanu Kumar Mohanty lodged a complaint in this regard November 21 after he found `16,64,925 were withdrawn from Bhadrak SBI branch. Mohanty again lodged another complaint November 23 after additional sum of `1,73,712 was withdrawn.
Acting on the complaints, Town police had registered a case and begun a probe. During the probe, the police learnt that the racketeers had stolen the used cheques from a SBI branch in Khurda and forged them from outside the state. Later, they dropped the cheques in the drop box and withdrew the cash from an ATM.
In February 2016, the then investigating officer in-charge Niranjan Rout had found evidences of the fraud, which was just a tip of the iceberg as the racketeers were involved in many such frauds within and outside the state.
The police arrested five inter-state criminals involved in the fraud and recovered `1.70 lakh from them December 10, 2015.
Subsequently, February 11, 2016, the prime accused of the case Fukun Ali Ahmed (30), a resident of Tendakuda in Kendrapara district, was also arrested and `17,000 was recovered from him.
As the racket involved inter-state gangs, some police officials had recommended an investigation by the Crime Branch. However, after the investigating officer was transferred, the case was sent to the backburner.
PNN
