SBI duped of Rs20.80 lakh

Rajinder S Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 14

Five fraudsters, including three women and a jeweller, duped the State Bank of India (SBI) of Rs 20.80 lakh by taking a loan against fake gold.

On the complaint of the bank manager, the Pinjore police registered an FIR under Sections 406, 420 and 120-B of the IPC.

According to information, three women—Saroj, Nirmala Devi and Vijaya Kumari— had approached the Madahwala branch of the bank (earlier known as State Bank of Patiala) in Pinjore in 2015.

They deposited 1.2 kg gold and the bank got its purity checked from Ambika Jewellers in Baddi through its proprietor Anmol Verma, who gave the purity certificate to the bank.

On the basis of it, the bank disbursed Rs 9 lakh each to Saroj and Nirmala Devi against a monthly instalment of Rs 83,000 for a year and Rs 2.80 lakh to Vijaya Kumari against a monthly instalment of around Rs 25,000 for a year.

But the women did not pay even a single instalment. Later, the bank decided to sell the gold but found it fake. The bank lodged a complaint against the three women, jeweller and a guarantor.