Ex-banker denied bail in Rs13-lakh fraud case

Chandigarh, February 21

A local court today dismissed a bail plea of a former employee of an ICICI Bank in a Rs 13 lakh fraud case.

Arun Saluja, a wealth adviser of the bank, was booked on a complaint by Krishna Lata Sharma. She stated that she had deposited Rs 13 lakh in her account on May 19, 2017, with the help of Saluja, who used to guide her on investments. She gave him two cheques for Rs 6.50 lakh each for investment purposes. The accused encashed one of the cheques in his wife’s name and the other in his wife’s business associate Amit Sharma’s name. On finding money withdrawn in individual names, Sharma confronted Saluja over the anomaly. He claimed to have parked her money in an investment. After a few days, Saluja deposited Rs 55,000 in her bank account and told her it was return on her investment. Sharma told him that she wanted the principal amount, but he kept giving her assurances.

Sharma managed to contact the bank’s branch in Mani Majra and learnt that Saluja had allegedly duped other people as well.

In the bail plea, it was claimed that Saluja had been implicated in the case.

After listening to the arguments, the court rejected the bail plea. — TNS