Rs.8 Crore Fraud Case in SBI, CBI Arrests Woman After 20 Years

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a woman named Mani M. Sekhar, who had been missing for nearly 20 years in connection with a ₹8 crore bank fraud case. She was finally found and arrested in Indore, Madhya Pradesh using advanced image search technology.

Background of the Fraud Case

The case dates back to 2002–2005, when Mani M. Sekhar and her husband R.M. Sekhar, who were directors of Indo Marks Pvt. Ltd. and BTC Home Products Pvt. Ltd., allegedly cheated the State Bank of India (SBI), Bengaluru Overseas Branch.

They are accused of misusing financial facilities and fraudulently obtaining ₹8 crore (₹800 lakh) through non-fund-based limits (such as bank guarantees or letters of credit) in the names of their companies.

The CBI registered the case on 1 August 2006 and filed a chargesheet in December 2007. However, both Mani and her husband did not appear for the court trial. After repeated attempts to locate them failed, they were declared Proclaimed Offenders by the court on 27 February 2009.

Changing Identity to Escape Arrest

To avoid being caught, the couple changed their names, mobile numbers, email addresses, PAN details, and other identification documents. They started living as Krishna Kumar Gupta and Geetha Krishna Kumar Gupta.

They never used their old bank or government details, making it very difficult for authorities to trace them.

How CBI Tracked Them After 20 Years

Despite years of effort and even announcing a reward of ₹50,000 for information about them, both had remained untraceable. But recently, the CBI used advanced digital technology and image search tools to compare their old photographs with online images and databases.

The image match was over 90% accurate, helping the CBI pinpoint their location in Indore, where they were living under their fake identities. After confirming the match and verifying their identity on the ground, a team of CBI officers raided their location.

During the operation, the CBI found that the husband had already died in 2008, while living under his new name. However, Mani M. Sekhar was arrested on 12 July 2025 and produced before a court in Bengaluru, which sent her to judicial custody.

This arrest highlights how technology can help law enforcement agencies track down even long-missing suspects. By combining modern tools like photo-matching and data analytics with traditional investigative work, agencies like the CBI can crack down on economic crimes more effectively.

Mani M. Sekhar is now facing trial after nearly 20 years of evading justice. The investigation in the case is still ongoing. More details will be released soon.