Man held for cheating banks

CHANDIGARH, Nov 16: Acting on a complaint lodged by IndusInd Bank vice-president K.K. Sharma, the city police have arrested a man for forgery and cheating. The police said a Sector 22 resident Om Parkash, who later identified himself as Sanjiv Sahoo of Orissa, opened a savings bank account in the IndusInd Bank, Sector 8, after producing a ration card and driving licence. He deposited demand drafts of about Rs 1.83 lakh and Rs 1.68 lakh, which he claimed, had been issued by the State Bank of India. The drafts were credited to Om Parkash8217;s account last month. He withdrew some money from this account.

However, the bank officials got information that an inter-state gang was active in the region and was opening fraudulent bank accounts after having stolen blank drafts from an SBI branch. They checked all accounts and suspected Om Parkash following which they began keeping a watch. He was nabbed yesterday when he came to withdraw money against a cheque and was handed over to the police. He has been booked for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Meanwhile, a case of fraud is also registered at Phase I police station in Mohali, on the complaint of Centurion Bank manager Sanjay Gupta. Gupta had complained that Om Parkash had allegedly defrauded the bank of Rs 3.93 lakh. Sources say an account was allegedly opened on October 10 by Om Prakash by giving a Sector 22 address. In September, an SBI draft of Rs 3.93 lakh was deposited in the account. In October, the money was withdrawn in three instalments. However, it was later found that the draft was stolen.