Bank manager dupes auto driver of Rs 20 lakh

An auto driver approaches the manager of a public sector bank’s branch here and seeks his help in taking a loan to buy a new autorickshaw. The manager not just sanctions the auto loan but another loan for buying a genset to lease it to the branch that would fetch the auto driver an additional revenue of Rs 17,000 per month.

For 10 years, the auto-driver, S Mani from Nungambakkam in Chennai, was never paid the rent amount by the branch manager, A Sivaji. The branch manager not just kept the auto driver’s bank passbook with him but also misused his savings accounts to deposit and withdraw money without his knowledge. Also, the branch manager kept the rent paid by the bank to himself for 10 years.

The bank manager, who is now placed under suspension, also forged the auto driver’s signature and misappropriated the rent received from the bank for leasing of the genset. The savings account was opened in 2009 and the auto driver finally mustered the courage to file a complaint in 2019.

The fraud by the bank manager went unnoticed as he was in possession of the passbook and ATM-cum-Debit card of the auto driver, who is the account holder. The auto driver has also alleged that the branch manager kept dodging his queries on the rent for genset and even allotted him another loan to replace his auto-rickshaw to “forget the genset loan.”

A case has now been filed against Sivaji, the manager of Vadapalani branch, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for forgery and criminal misconduct by public servant. The FIR filed by the CBI says Sivaji took control of Mani’s savings account and used it to deposit huge amount of money and withdraw them at regular intervals.

“Also, the bank manager sanctioned a loan of Rs 25,000 to Mani by forging his signature and took away the amount,” the FIR says.

“Till now, Mr Sivaji, has not given me a single rupee from the rent and I understand that Rs 1 crore has been deposited and withdrawn from my account without my knowledge,” the auto driver said in his complaint. He also alleged that the branch manager also shifted his account to Anna Nagar branch from Vadapalani without his knowledge.