Balasore: The Economic Offences Wing arrested the former manager of Punjab National Bank in a fraud case.
The accused has been identified as Vinay Sonkar, Ex-Manager of Circle Office, Balasore.
The EOW arrested the accused on 06.12.2024 from Burdwan, West Bengal in EOW PS Case No.13 Dtd.16.11.2024 U/s 409/467/468/471/120-B IPC. The accused was produced before the Ld. Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Purba Burdwan, West Bengal and brought on transit remand. He will be produced before the Designated Court under OPID Act, Balasore today i.e. on 07.12.2024.
The case was registered on the written report of Mrinal Kanti Mohanti, Chief Manager, Punjab National Bank, Balasore, wherein it has been alleged that Vinay Sonkar, Ex-Manager, Circle Office, Balasore during his incumbency had issued directions to Branch Manager, Balasore Branch for transfer of Rs 1,23,12,236.01 to unauthorized accounts in a most fraudulent manner.
Thereby, Vinay Sonkar being custodian of properties of the bank has dishonestly misappropriated public funds causing wrongful loss to the bank. The arrested accused Vinay Sonkar was posted as Manager in
Circle Office, PNB, Balasore from 31.08.2020 to 04.06.2022 and assigned with General Services Administration Department (GSAD) and also in charge of Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro & Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).
He had issued directions to the Branch Manager, PNB, Balasore Main Branch by fraudulently issuing letters for the transfer of huge sums of money to the tune of Rs 1,23,12,236.01 from the account of the branch in different phases. Accused Vinay Sonkar in order to facilitate the transfer of money from the aforesaid branch had made unauthorized transfer of the required amount from the CGTSME and TA Bill accounts of Circle Office.
The branch officials credited the total sum of Rs.1,23,12,236.01 vide 26 transactions to multiple accounts as given by the accused. The accused Vinay Sonkar instead of directing to deposit the credit guarantee amount to the account of CGTSME which is meant for loans for poor persons under various Govt. schemes, had directed the Branch Manager to credit money to various unauthorized accounts and thereby he has caused a huge wrongful loss to the bank.
Sonkar while posted at Rishra Morepukur Branch, Hooghly, West Bengal in 2022, had also committed a similar type of fraud to the tune of Rs.80 Lakhs for which the bank authority removed him from service
on 28.03.2024.
Many incriminating documents like personal files, forged letters, vouchers, statements of bank accounts, various registers etc. have been seized.
