Gujarat: Branch manager among eight sentenced to three-five years of RI in 2002 bank fraud case
It was alleged that branch manager Zala had entered into a criminal conspiracy with private persons with the object to cheat the State Bank.
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The case pertained to the killing of Tale Ram in Pakasma village, Rohtak, following an altercation on 6 March 2004 (Representational Image)The Special Judge for CBI cases in Ahmedabad on Tuesday sentenced eight accused, including a former Branch Manager of the Naroda branch of the State of Bank of Saurashtra in Ahmedabad, to three to five years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) with a total fine of Rs 6.5 lakh in a bank fraud case dating back to 2002.
The convict includes Bechar Ganesh Zala, the then branch manager, along with Paresh Kantilal Bhagat, Kartik Harshadrai Patel, Ritesh Dhirajlal Sheth, Atul Dashrathlal Brahmbhatt, Tejas Rameshchandra Brahmbhatt, Amit H Patel and Nileshbhai D Shah, according to a statement from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Zala was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh for the offences of criminal breach of trust and criminal misconduct by a public servant; Amit Patel was awarded the same punishment and fined an equal amount for cheating, forgery of valuable security, forgery for the purpose of cheating, and using forged documents as genuine. Sheth and Kartik Patel were sentenced to five years’ RI with a fine of Rs 1 lakh each for the offences of cheating, forgery of valuable security, forgery for the purpose of cheating, and using forged documents as genuine. Tejas Brahmbhatt and Bhagat got three years’ RI with fine of Rs 50,000 for the offences of forgery of valuable security and forgery for the purpose of cheating. Shah and Atul Brahmbhatt were sentenced to five years’ RI with fine of Rs 25,000 each for the offence of cheating.
CBI had registered the instant case on July 18, 2002. It was alleged that branch manager Zala had entered into a criminal conspiracy with private persons with the object to cheat the State Bank of Saurashtra by abusing his official position as public servant, sanctioning car finance (loan) to accused Kartik Patel and Sheth to the tune of Rs 4 lakh each. Besides, a loan of Rs 4.85 lakh was sanctioned to Amit Patel on the basis of forged and fabricated documents.
After completion of its investigation, the CBI filed 12 separate chargesheets on various dates.
The CBI said that during investigation, they found that Kartik Patel and Sheth submitted their car loan applications along with bogus documents like quotations and margin money receipts purportedly issued by a fictitious firm in Vapi against the purchase of a Toyota Qualis for Rs 7. 99 lakh and a Hyundai Accent for Rs 6.21 lakh, respectively.
They also allegedly submitted bogus Income Tax Returns in support of their applications for car loans. The bogus Quotation and Margin Money Receipts were prepared by Atul Brahmbhat, it was alleged. Pankaj Patel stood as guarantor for the loan to be obtained in the name of Kartik Patel whereas Bhagat was the guarantor for the loan in the name of Sheth.
Similarly, Amit Patel submitted his car loan application along with bogus documents like quotations, forged bogus cover note, forged ITR, forged audit report of his bogus firm and invoice, purportedly issued by a company against the purchase of a Daewoo Nexia car for Rs 6.47 lakh. In this case, the bogus Quotation and Margin Money Receipts were prepared by Shah, while Tejas Brahmbhatt prepared bogus copies of a cover note purported to have been issued by an insurance company.
According to the CBI statement, Zala, in pursuance of the said criminal conspiracy, fraudulently and dishonestly did not verify the eligibility of loan of the said borrowers. By abusing his official position as public servant, he sanctioned the car loan to the borrowers, it added.
After trial, the court held the accused guilty and sentenced them accordingly.
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