Berhampur police, on Wednesday, arrested Epili Mithun (35), branch manager of the ICICI Bank Gosani Nuagam branch in Berhampur, Odisha, for allegedly defrauding customers of ₹45.5 lakh. The accused reportedly lured unsuspecting customers by offering high returns on fraudulent gift card and loyalty card schemes.
How the Fraud Unfolded
According to sources, Mithun misled three bank customers by persuading them to invest in gift card schemes, loyalty programs, and Forex and Petro cards, promising lucrative returns. The victims, identified as Chandan Kumar Padhy, M. Devi Prasad, and Sandeep Kumar Sahu, had initially taken loans from ICICI Bank’s Dharmanagar branch in 2023 when Mithun was the manager.
Gaining their trust, he convinced them to invest their loan amounts in his schemes. However, when he failed to return their money despite repeated requests, the victims became suspicious and approached the Gosaninuagaon branch of the bank. Upon confrontation, Mithun allegedly threatened them with false harassment charges, prompting them to file a complaint at Berhampur Town Police Station.
Investigation Findings
Preliminary police investigations revealed that Mithun collected ₹16.5 lakh via credit cards and an additional ₹29 lakh in cash from the victims. The authorities seized crucial documents, including credit card transaction records, from his possession.
Police have also confiscated mobile phones and financial documents related to the scam. A case has been registered, and further investigations are ongoing. So far, no additional comments have been made by the officials.
