The Special Judge (PC), Imphal West on Saturday remanded four accused, who were allegedly involved in misappropriation of huge subsidy amount by falsely claiming sanctioning of loan under the Manipur Start Up Scheme, in 15-day judicial custody till June 4.
The accused persons, identified as Ningombam Maipaksana, 25, son of N Joychand of Bashikhong Kitnapan Imphal East; Seram Olish, 25, son of S Maipak of Kongba Makha Nandeibam Leikai; Mayengbam Ibohanbi, 41, son of M Nimai of Ngairangbam Makha Maning Leikai, Imphal West and Nongthombam Rocky, 32, son of N Gambhir of Kongba Uchekon Laikon, Imphal East, were arrested on May 18.
They were arrested on the allegation that they had deceived the beneficiaries for the loan Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) on the pretext of helping beneficiaries and they themselves pocketed huge amount of money in a wrongful manner.
The complaint was lodged by Punjab National Bank, Kanglatongbi manager, stating that a possible fraud in the Start Up Manipur government scheme has been committed by some officials of the PNB manager, Sh Singsit Khupden in collusion and conspiracy with other persons.
The complainant disclosed that six customer bank accounts opened at PNB, Kanglatongbi branch and subsidy amount were credited directly to all customer or beneficiary bank accounts. Without opening any loan accounts of the customers nor sanctioning any loan amount for the Manipur Start-Up Scheme, customer will open their bank accounts in bank and the bank will give them loan by opening loan accounts.
Seven applications in total were purportedly received and processed by the Kanglatongbi branch of PNB. It was mandatory to open accounts of beneficiaries so that the instalments and subsidy could be credited into the loan accounts but it transpires from LSS and MIS reports of the branch that loan accounts against seven applications have never been opened in the CBS system.
The Bank of Baroda, which is a nodal bank of the Start-Up Manipur scheme, released total subsidy amounting to Rs one crore seventy-seven lakh and nine thousand to the non-customer account of the Kanglatongbi branch on November 5, 2021 but as no loan accounts were opened, instalments were disbursed and subsidy amount in matching ratio received from the government has directly been credited to the customer bank account, stated the complainant.
According to a police investigation report, PNB-Kanglatombi Branch reported that 6 (six) beneficiaries opened their bank accounts at PNB Kanglatombi Branch while 1 (one) beneficiary opened his bank account at PNB, Imphal Branch. From PNB-Kanglatombi Branch report, it is found that all the 6(six) bank accounts were opened between 28/09/2021 and 11/10/2021. a short period of around 13 days.
Further, the subsidy money amounting to Rs 1,77,09,000/- were credited directly to the 6(six) customer bank accounts and all money were withdrawn or transferred from all the accounts within a 5 days period (from 5/11/2021 to 9/11/2021). It is also found that Rs 1,00,00,000/-(One Crores only) was withdrawn in cash from the 6 bank accounts on 5/11/2021 and 8/1 1/2021. And Rs 53,17,000/- (Fifty-Three Lakhs Seventeen Thousand only) was transferred to one M/S SOS TRADERS bank account from 4 different bank accounts and the Rs 23,92.000/-(Twenty-Three Lakhs Ninety-Two Thousand only) was transferred from 3 different bank accounts to one M/S SB DAIRY FARM bank account. All these transactions happened on 5/11/2021. 8/1/2021 and 9/11/2021.
From the reply received from PNB-Kanglatombi, it was found that as per the Bank record. The employee who initiates the transferred of money for all the money transactions is one Nongthombam Rocky Singh from Kongba Uchekon Laikon, Nandeibam Leikai, IE and the then Manager PNB Kanglatombi, namely Singsit Khupeden approved all the transactions. During the investigation it is found that M/S SOS TRADERS and M/S SB DAIRY FARM belong to MSCB (Manipur State Cooperative Bank), Imphal and hence requisition was sent to MSCB Bank to provide their details and transaction statement. Their reply is still awaited. Further, for the remaining beneficiary (M/s MIDC Enterprises) who belong to PNB-Imphal Branch, reply from PNB-Imphal is still awaited.
Police further investigation report stated that statements of five beneficiaries/customers whose details were received from PNB-Kanglatombi Branch were recorded. From their statements, it was found that after they knew that they were selected for the Manipur Start-Up Scheme, they went to the Planning Department, Manipur to enquire about the loan and subsidy. Some were told to wait for a call from the Planning Department for inspection, and some were told to get their loan sanctioned from their respective Bank and bring the loan sanction letter to the Planning Department to get the subsidy amount. During that time, some of the beneficiaries were contacted by Mayengbam Ibohanbi and some others by Ningomabm Maipaksana, who promised them that they could run around and get the money.
They further stated that Ibohanbi and Maipaksana took photographs and some documents from them. They were also made to sign bank account opening forms. Of the five beneficiaries whose statements were recorded so far, two beneficiaries expressed that they have signed blank cheques and given to M Ibohanbi Singh (arrested person No. 3 given below) while three beneficiaries expressed that they never signed any cheques. However, all five of them denied going to any bank to withdraw money in relation to the Manipur Start-Up Scheme. Later, M Ibohanbi Singh and N Maipaksana gave to the beneficiary’s money ranging from Rs 2 Lakhs to Rs 8 Lakhs.
They further expressed that when they enquired to them (M Ibohanbi Singh and N Maipaksana) regarding the amount to loan sanction, remaining amounts, loan sanction documents, etc, they either said that they will get the documents and remaining money after sometime or sometime they ignored their calls. Further, it was found that four of making any seals of their firms embossed on their bank account opening forms, a copy of which is received from the bank at the office.
Police submitted that the arrested accused have deceived the beneficiaries on the pretext of helping beneficiaries and they themselves have pocketed huge amounts of money in the wrong manner.
Police charged that in collusion with the bank manager, they cheated the government by falsely claiming sanctioning of loans of six beneficiaries. They are not revealing the location of the seal of the beneficiaries' firms and the remaining cheque book. Further there is suspicion of involvement of other people.
It also stated that Kanglatombi PNB Branch manager, Sh Singsit Khupden cheated the government of the huge subsidy amount by falsely claiming sanctioning of loan to the six beneficiaries, but he was released on anticipatory bail issued by the court. The court, after hearing the submission, remanded them in judicial custody.
