PNB manager arrested for issuing loan using forged documents

Bhubaneswar: Two persons including a senior manager cum assessment officer of Punjab National Bank (PNB) were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Tuesday for their alleged involvement in sanctioning loans on forged documents.

The accused have been identified as Srikanta Prasad Prusty, a senior manager employed with Punjab National Bank, and Kali Prasad Mishra, proprietor of M/s KP Solutions in Nageswar Tangi area of Bhubaneswar.

The EOW officials arrested the accused duo under Sections 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120(B) of the IPC. The accused were forwarded to SDJM Court in Bhubaneswar Tuesday.

The matter came to fore, after the circle head of Punjab National Bank in Bhubaneswar lodged a complaint against Prusty with the EOW.

It is alleged that in conspiracy with other bank officials, accused Kali Prasad Mishra, who deals with wholesaling and retail trading of tiles, sanitary items and electronic goods, had availed cash credit (CC) Loan amounting to Rs 2.5 crores by mortgaging the property of three guarantors, who during enquiry denied having signed the documents and kept the properties as mortgage for the loan.

During investigation it was found that the accused man used fake KYC documents including electricity bills and Voter Identity cards in names of three guarantors, who purportedly acted as guarantors for the loans and mortgaged their immovable property located at Madhu Patna area in Cuttack during 2017.

A report that the bank assessed later suggested that one of the guarantors had expired in 2014 i.e. more than three years before the loan was sanctioned.

Accused Srikanta Prasad Prusty, the then senior manager of Punjab National Bank in Bapuji Nagar Branch, in criminal conspiracy with the loanee, had recommended sanction of huge amounts of loan to the tune of Rs 2.5 crore to the accused by accepting the forged documents and mentioning that he had verified the identity of the guarantors.

PNN