Alleged Indian embezzler wanted to open bank in Lanka
Alleged Indian embezzler Abishek Joshi who cheated a cooperative bank of INR 160 million (LKR 353 million), had been planning to start a financial institution in Sri Lanka and had even met President Maithripala Sirisena, Indian media said.
This came to light in an investigation by the special operationd group ( SOG) of Rajasthan police, reports published this week said. The 37-year-old business administration graduate was the mastermind in the case. He had “not only allegedly met the president of Sri Lanka in Goa, he was also in touch with top administrative officers of the island nation to start financial institutions,” the Times of India (TOI) said.
On Wednesday, the SOG unearthed the embezzlement of nearly INR 160 million and illegal money exchange of INR 13.8 million by Alwar Urban Cooperative Bank officials. They arrested five people, including the Chief Executive Officer, the former chairman, the present chairman and Mr. Joshi.
“Abhishek is seen as the kingpin in planning and executing the whole embezzlement,” TOI said. “While investigating the case, the sleuths of SOG were stunned when they recovered a photograph of Abhishek with Maithripala Sirisena, the Sri Lankan president,” the report stated.
It quotes a senior SOG official as saying: “We found that the accused Abhishek had visited Sri Lanka and had explored possibilities to start a bank in any of the states in the island nation. We have also recovered a photograph of the accused with the Sri Lankan president. He was in touch with some top-ranked administrative officers of a few states in the neighbouring country.”
When the TOI asked about Mr. Joshi’s interest in Sri Lanka, Inspector General of Police Dinesh M N replied: “All I can say is that we are investigating and looking into every angle in this case. Various things that we have recov- ered need to be verified.”
A senior officer close to investigations is cited as saying Mr. Joshi had been expected to meet “Surendra Gunaratney” whom he called “an adviser to the Government of Sri Lanka on international affairs and also a chief secretary rank officer” on Wednesday to discuss investment possibilities.
It was not immediately clear who Mr. Gunaratney is. It is suspected that Mr. Joshi had been planning to invest his black money in Sri Lanka.
“TOI has also come to know that Surendra, who is in Delhi, had even called up a senior officer of SOG on Wednesday to enquire about the whole racket,” the report said. “Sources further said that SOG officials had also told the Sri Lankan bureaucrat that the accused has been nabbed before he could execute his plan in their country.”