Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch on Tuesday said that the bank loan fraud case against Sambad using criminal intimidation, cheating and forgery is under investigation and many vital witnesses have been examined.
The EOW said that the vital witnesses/victims have corroborated the allegation of the complaint and further disclosed the method and magnitude of this scam.
Also in the past few days, EOW has been able to collect/seize some credible documents including loan/bank-related relevant documents from the Sambad office.
Investigation and evidence collected so far reveal a huge, well & meticulously planned scam to get the loan amounts sanctioned in crores of rupees using fraudulent method of cheating, forgery and coercion, the EOW said.
Following patterns have come to notice of EOW so far:-
- More than 350 Sambad/EML employees have taken loans from Odisha Gramya Bank, IRC village branch alone over the last few years.
- Loans taken from other banks like SBI and others are yet to be scrutinized. The actual figure is expected to be much higher.
- Almost all the Loan process follows the same pattern-
- Rs 5 Lakh Loan under easy money loan scheme of the bank.
- Same ground as house/ house repair
- Forged salary certificate submitted by Sambad/ EML authorities.
- There is a huge difference (almost double) between the actual salary and the salary certificate produced by Sambad/ EML authorities.
- It appears that Loan forms have been prepared/filled by someone else and the employee/ loanee has put his/her signature only.
- Actually, employees/ Loanees have not received a single penny and have not been benefited by the loan amount.
- Once the loan is sanctioned, the amount is withdrawn in cash.
- The EMI to be paid is almost equal to the net salary of employee.
- Some employees have been forced to take loans 2-3 times too.
- Employees are not given salary slips.
- EMIs are paid by Sambad/ EML.
- EMI is paid in 60 instalments.
- Strangely, in many cases, EMIs are paid by Sambad/ EML even if employees have left/resigned/removed from the company months before.
- It has been a continuing phenomenon (getting Loan sanctioned in this style) for years for Sambad/ EML.
“The pattern seems not to be just one instance or coincidence but a well thought of conspiracy and organized bank fraud. Further investigation is continuing,” the EOW said in a press note.
EOW Case No.24 dated 16.09.2023 U/s 506/467/468/471/420/120-B IPC has been registered in connection with the case.
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