
In a major fraud case, two officials of Odisha Gramya Bank (OGB) have been suspended for their involvement in a loan scam worth over Rs 42 lakh. The incident occurred in the Jaraka branch of the bank in Jajpur district, Odisha, where counterfeit gold was used as collateral for loans.
The suspended officials are Satabdee Pradhan, the former manager, and Pratibha Mishra, the former assistant manager of the branch. The fraud was uncovered during a routine joint inspection, which led to the suspension of the two officials. The bank also removed the gold appraiser involved in the scam.
Dig Bijay Bahadur Das, the regional manager of OGB, filed a formal complaint with the Dharmasala police station on Thursday. According to the complaint, seven individuals from local villages had secured loans totaling Rs 42.67 lakh by mortgaging fake gold jewellery. The gold appraiser, who was familiar with the borrowers, had recommended the loans despite the fraudulent nature of the collateral.
In the police complaint, the regional manager named the seven loanees, the former manager, the ex-assistant manager, and the former gold appraiser as suspects in the case. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case against 10 individuals under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and initiated an investigation.
“The investigation is ongoing, and the culprits will be arrested soon,” said Tapan Kumar Nayak, Inspector-in-Charge of Dharmasala police station. The police are working to uncover the full extent of the fraud and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.