Rs 85L fraudulently withdrawn from bank accounts of customers in Kendrapara; role of bank staff under scanner

Around Rs 85 lakh have been withdrawn from the bank accounts of at least six customers without their knowledge. The customers have brought such serious allegations against peon, former branch manager, and other officials of the Indian Bank branch located at Singiri Baazar, Aul of Kendrapara district.

The money has been withdrawn from 7 accounts belonging to at least 6 customers. The matter came to the fore after one of the customers Surendra Naik of Bandha Sahi Bilikana village lodged a written complaint against the bank officials on January 20. 

The customers suspect the involvement of the bank peon, former branch manager, and other staff. Following the complaint, police registered a case and arrested the bank peon Satyananda Ghadei. 

 “They have forged our signs, and used cheques to withdraw our amount. This cannot be possible without the involvement of the bank officials. I have lodged an FIR, but all they say is that an investigation is going on,” alleged Surendra Naik. 

“I’m in shock. I don’t know how and when they have withdrawn the entire amount from my account. I came to know about it only after I updated my passbook. They would take our passbook saying that the print machine was not working and use it for their fraudulent activities. They kept us in the dark for a long time,” said another woman victim Sasikala Mahalik.

Another victim Sadanand Prusty said, “They haven’t even left the fixed deposit amounts. They have withdrawn the entire amount without our knowledge. We only came to know about it after printing the passbook.

Meanwhile, the number of customers cheated by bank officials is gradually increasing. The current Branch Manager admitted the embezzlement of the money and said that a departmental investigation was going on.