A cashier from the State Bank of India (SBI) Dharamshala branch in Kangra district, Rajneesh Kumar, has been found guilty of embezzling ₹54.64 lakh from the bank to fund his addiction to online betting. Rajneesh worked at the Kotwali Bazar branch of SBI for many years. He was responsible for loading cash into the bank’s ATM, but instead, he started taking money from the bank and using it to bet on cricket games online.
How the Scam Happened
Rajneesh Kumar became addicted to online betting on the 4RaBet app. When he went to load cash into the ATM, he would put in ₹2-3 lakh less than what was supposed to be there, but he reported the full amount to the bank. The bank did not realize anything was wrong because there were delays in checking the cash. The fraud was discovered during an internal audit, and it was found that Rajneesh had stolen ₹54.64 lakh. Once the bank found out, they reported the matter to the police.
Police Investigation
The police have started an investigation into the theft and have filed a case under Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with criminal breach of trust by government workers or those in charge of other people’s money. Rajneesh Kumar has been questioned, and the bank’s records are being checked to find out more about the missing money.
What is Section 409 of the IPC? Section 409 of the IPC covers criminal breach of trust by public servants, bankers, or anyone who is trusted with other people’s money. This crime can lead to life imprisonment or up to 10 years in prison, along with a fine.
The Risk of Online Betting
Rajneesh Kumar’s case shows the dangers of becoming addicted to online betting. Many people get hooked on betting apps, especially those focused on cricket, thinking they can make quick money. However, the chances of winning are very low, and people can lose much more money than they win. Addiction to online betting can lead to serious financial problems, as seen in this case.
