Kanken: Kotwali police have arrested three individuals, including a bank manager, for defrauding Rs 10 lakh under the guise of a KCC (Kisan Credit Card) loan. The accused—comprising the manager and brokers—used the photograph of an unknown woman along with another woman’s land and farm documents to withdraw the loan. The fraud came to light when the actual account holder discovered the scheme and lodged a complaint with the police. Investigations confirmed the involvement of all three, while efforts are ongoing to locate the woman whose photograph was fraudulently used.
Details of the Case:
Bimla Bai, a resident of Gram Pradhan Dongri Kasawahi, Charama, filed a written complaint with the SP office, alleging that Ugrasen Singh (40), a resident of Ranidongri Narharpur, fraudulently secured a KCC loan in her name from the Union Bank’s Kanker branch. He did so by substituting her photograph with that of an unknown woman. The former branch manager was also found complicit in the fraud, which resulted in the embezzlement of Rs 9.90 lakh.
Bimla Bai learned of the fraud when bank representatives approached her for loan recovery. Denying any knowledge or involvement, she filed a police complaint. Investigations revealed that the loan, amounting to Rs 9.90 lakh, was disbursed between December 2022 and January 2023 against 11.78 hectares of joint account land belonging to Ugrasen Singh and Bimla Bai. The third accused, Nohruram Mandavi, a resident of Pandhar village under Amabeda police station, acted as the guarantor.
Arrests and Current Status:
Following the investigation, police arrested Budharuram Bhardwaj, the then branch manager from Mangala Chowk, Bilaspur, Ugrasen Singh, the mastermind, and guarantor Nohruram Mandavi on November 25. All three have been sent to jail. However, the fraudulently withdrawn amount has yet to be recovered, and the police are now working to seize the accused’s bank accounts.
Search for the Unknown Woman:
Kotwali TI Manish Nagar confirmed that efforts are ongoing to identify and locate the woman whose photograph was used in the fraudulent loan application. The other accused have been apprehended, and efforts to recover the stolen funds continue. Nagar urged the public to exercise caution when submitting personal documents such as Aadhaar, PAN, or land-related paperwork, emphasizing personal responsibility in safeguarding such materials.
Additional Findings:
The woman whose photograph was used remains unidentified and is considered absconding. During interrogation, the accused revealed they had taken her photo from a photocopy shop and affixed it to the loan application under Bimla Bai’s name. Police are intensifying their efforts to locate her. It is worth noting that similar incidents of document forgery and misuse of others’ photographs have occurred in the past.
