Baramati branch manager booked for involvement in Rs 9 crore misappropriation in Pandharpur Urban Bank
Pune/Baramati: The branch manager of Pandharpur Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd, Baramati branch, was booked for his involvement in misappropriation of Rs 9,03,00,361.
Amit Pradip Deshpande, a resident of Baramati, allegedly forged documents to embezzle money from the bank. An offence has been registered against him at the City Police Station, Baramati.
Krishnakumar Purushottam Pendal, a resident of Pandharpur, lodged a complaint, on behalf of the main branch of the bank, in this regard. He works as the manager in the main branch. Pandharpur Co-op Bank has 30 branches across the State. The branch in Baramati is located on Bhigwan Road at Jalochi, where accused Amit Deshpande works as the branch manager.
CEO Umesh Viradhe was going through the balance sheet of the bank when he observed suspicious transactions at the Baramati branch. He instructed the complainant to examine them. The misappropriation was detected during the scrutiny. Deshpande misused his position and prepared fake documents using cashier-cum-clerk Sadhana Kalentre’s code.
Deshpande misappropriated money by showing the documents to be genuine. He withdrew Rs 2.30 crore from the suspense receivable account of the bank and deposited it in an account opened by him in Dhanvantari Urban Cooperative Credit Society.
He withdrew Rs 31 lakh from Bank of Baroda to deposit in the branch. However, he spent it elsewhere. He opened five fake ODTDR accounts in Dhanvantari Credit Society and used Rs 3,23,71,897 for his personal benefit.
He also exchanged mortgaged gold ornaments of 83 customers with fake ornaments in the Baramati branch. He took loan on those gold ornaments from other financial firms. Deshpande opened 10 fake accounts in customers’ names. He forged signatures for the purpose and disbursed loans on these accounts. He showed gold ornament deposits in their names by using fake gold ornaments. Through these accounts, he withdrew Rs 37,56,803 and used it for personal benefit.
Deshpande misappropriated Rs 3,18,37,464 in the gold mortgage accounts matter. Thus, he embezzled Rs 9,03,00,361 and cheated the bank, stated the complaint. PI Vilas Nale was investigating further.
