Wife of Bank Manager arrested in Rs 12.63 Crore Bank Fraud Case After 7 Years

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a woman named Nasreen Taj, who had been missing for nearly seven years. She was involved in a bank fraud case worth ₹12.63 crore and had been declared a proclaimed offender by the court. Her arrest was made possible through the CBI’s continuous investigation and use of advanced technology tools.

The Case Goes Back to 2009

The case started in April 2009, when the CBI filed an FIR against nine people, including Asadullah Khan, the then Branch Manager of Syndicate Bank, Mandya Branch, and his wife Nasreen Taj. They were accused of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. Nasreen, who had no independent income, took loans fraudulently from the bank with the help of her husband and others. Syndicate Bank has now been merged with Canara Bank.

How the Fraud Was Carried Out

Nasreen Taj misused banking facilities by taking a Temporary Overdraft (TOD) of ₹1.2 crore and farm loans worth ₹55 lakh. These loans were meant for agricultural use, but instead, she used the farm loan money to repay the TOD, which violated the loan conditions. This was part of a larger plan to cheat the bank.

The CBI completed its investigation and filed a charge sheet on 12 October 2010, naming Nasreen Taj as one of the main accused. However, she did not appear for trial and became untraceable after 2019. Despite multiple Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) issued since 30 April 2019, she remained on the run. On 27 November 2021, the Special Court in Bengaluru declared her a proclaimed offender and ordered the attachment of her property.

To escape being caught, Nasreen cut off all contact with her family and friends. She changed her name to Ms. Salma, frequently moved locations, and kept her interactions with others to a minimum. She even misled her employer and neighbors about her true identity, making it extremely difficult for the authorities to trace her.

Despite all these challenges, the CBI used modern technology, including identity-tracking databases and analysis of digital footprints, to find out her current location. Combined with on-ground inquiries and field investigations, they finally tracked her to Bengaluru, where she was living under the false name. On 19 July 2025, she was arrested and presented before the court, which sent her to judicial custody to face trial.

More details will be released soon.