₹6-cr SBI loan fraud: Ex-manager sent to 14-day judicial custody

KAPURTHALA: The court of chief judicial magistrate has sent former assistant general manager, Garima Pritam, of Kapurthala SBI branch to 14-day judicial custody, after she surrendered before it to join investigation in a ₹6-crore loan fraud case on Friday.

The case, dating back to 2014, was registered against 14 people, including nine bank officials, after Sonia Bawa, owner of a private firm, Ikaum Impex, of Kapurthala, had lodged a complaint against her partner Sukhwinder Singh and his family members and bank officials of committing a fraud of ₹6 crore by forging documents.

In May this year, the Kapurthala police had filed a chargesheet in court against 14 people, including SBI officials, branch manager Sonal Gupta, and other managers Dharminder, Vipan, Aditi and Garima, Kotak Mahindra Bank’s sales manager Deepak Bajaj, credit manager Nawal Kishore, direct sales agent Gurinder Bajwa, Axis Bank sales manager Ajay Kumar Gautam and a chartered accountant Rajiv Singhavi. The private firm’s partner, Sukhwinder Singh, and three of his family members were also booked.

Later, the court of chief judicial magistrate Ajit Pal Singh had issued non-bailable warrants against Dharminder Tiwari, assistant general managers Vipan Negi, Aditi Walia and Garima Pritam and chartered accountant Rajiv Singhavi.

On August 31, the district court initiated the process of declaring four accused, including Garima as proclaimed offenders, after they failed to appear before the court to join investigation. The high court had rejected the anticipatory bail of these accused last month.

Sonia had alleged that as per the partnership deed, her partner was supposed to get her signatures while dealing with a bank or a financial institution, but he did not do so in connivance with bank officials while applying for a loan.

During the course of the investigation, the police found that the firm’s papers were also tampered with.

The court has already declared the main accused, firm partner Sukhwinder Singh and three of his family members, as proclaimed offenders. They were probably abroad and a red corner notice had been issued for apprehending them.