Sambalpur: Rs. 84,000 Stolen from Retired SP’s Account; Consumer Court Orders Punjab National Bank to Pay Compensation

Court Orders Bank to Compensate

Sambalpur: A shocking case of bank fraud has surfaced where Rs. 84,000 was stolen from the bank account of Sushil Kumar Panigrahi, a retired SP from Gajapati district and former Additional SP of Sambalpur. After reviewing the case, the Sambalpur Consumer Court has ordered the concerned bank to compensate him.

How the Fraud Happened?

Panigrahi had an account at Punjab National Bank’s Golbazar branch, with a balance of Rs. 1,11,258. However, when he visited the branch to withdraw money, he discovered that Rs. 84,000 had already been withdrawn without his knowledge. Upon further investigation, the bank found that the money had been withdrawn in multiple transactions from different ATMs in Sambalpur. Surprisingly, Panigrahi did not receive any SMS alerts about these transactions, making it impossible for him to detect the fraud immediately.

Legal Battle and Court’s Decision

Feeling helpless after getting no response from the branch manager, zonal manager, regional manager, or even the bank’s chairman, Panigrahi took the matter to the Consumer Court. The court found Punjab National Bank negligent and ordered it to return Rs. 84,000, pay Rs. 1 lakh in compensation, and cover Rs. 25,000 in legal expenses, with a 12% interest penalty if unpaid within a month. His lawyers, Pradeep Mishra and Bibhuti Pattnaik, won the case, highlighting serious concerns about bank security, if a retired SP’s money isn’t safe, how secure are ordinary customers’ savings?

Bank Employee Runs Away with Rs. 19 Lakh

Another case of financial fraud has come to light, this time involving an employee of a cash management company. The accused, identified as B. Pati, worked for CMS Company’s Sambalpur branch, which handles ATM cash deposits and other financial transactions.

How the Scam Unfolded?

Between February 20 and 25, Pati collected Rs. 18,76,343 from various depositors but never deposited it in the bank. When questioned, he failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. A deeper investigation by the company revealed that he had issued fake deposit receipts to some customers, while the actual cash was never deposited in their accounts.

Legal Action and Investigation

Realizing the fraud, the company’s branch manager filed a complaint at Ainthapali police station. The police registered a case and launched an investigation. Since the scam involved bank transactions, all related documents are being carefully examined. Authorities suspect that Pati may have embezzled even more money.

Current Status of the Case

Pati attempted to flee but was caught by the police, who are now interrogating him. The case is expected to reveal more shocking details soon.

Both these cases highlight the increasing risks of financial fraud and the need for stricter security measures in banking systems. Banks and financial institutions must take responsibility to ensure the safety of their customers’ hard-earned money.