Bank manager faces probe for swindling Rs 20 lakh from customer

The CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch, Chennai, has registered a case against A Sivaji, the manager of Vadapalani branch who was placed under suspension, based on a complaint from S Mani, an autorickshaw driver, who was holding an account in the bank. As per documents, Mani was providing generator set on rent to the bank. 

The complaint was filed by Mani, a resident of Kakkan Colony, Nungambakkam, in October last year. The official had deposited and cleared funds into the account of Mani without the knowledge of the account holder, and the account passbook was in the possession of the accused official. The account holder had not applied for cheque book and ATM card. 

Mani had approached the bank for a loan to buy an autorickshaw, but Sivaji had sanctioned him a loan of Rs 2.67 lakh to buy a generator to be hired by the bank for a rent of Rs 17,000 a month. Mani was told that he would get the possession of the generator once the loan was closed. It was alleged that Sivaji had carried out transaction to the tune of nearly Rs 1 crore using Mani’s bank account. 

The CBI said that the rent for generator set, amounting to Rs 20 lakh, was misappropriated by the bank manager by operating the account himself. The FIR said that Sivaji has also forged the specimen signature to be uploaded in the system with the intention to misuse the account and misappropriated the rent received from the bank for the generator instead of giving it to Mani, who was the ‘owner’ of the generator set. 

Sivaji had allegedly sanctioned a loan to Mani, without the latter asking for it, and misappropriated that amount as well, the FIR noted. He had also transferred Mani’s SB account from one branch to another without his knowledge. 

CBI said that Sivaji, who is under suspension, had allegedly committed offences under various IPC sections for criminal breach of trust, forgery for the purpose of cheating, criminal misconduct by a public servant.