New Delhi: A CBI court in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, has handed down a severe sentence to an official in a fraud case. The court sentenced a bank official to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of ₹4.30 lakh. The CBI shared this information on Wednesday.
The convicted bank official, Murari Lal Meena, was the then Special Assistant at the Oriental Bank of Commerce branch in Lalsot, Dausa district, Rajasthan. The CBI had registered the case on December 20, 2017, following a complaint from the bank’s Lalsot branch.
The complaint alleged that the accused, Murari Lal Meena, misused his official position. Furthermore, he issued ‘No Dues Certificates’ in an unauthorised and irregular manner. This facilitated the release of pledged assets and securities despite outstanding loan amounts.
Sentence Pronounced After Conviction
Following the trial, the court convicted the accused and pronounced the sentence. Earlier, a special CBI court in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, had convicted a steel trading firm and six individuals in a 2008 bank fraud case.
One of the convicts was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment, while the other five were each sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment. The court imposed a total fine of ₹6,000 on the six convicted individuals and ordered the firm to pay a separate fine of ₹20,000.
The CBI had registered this case on April 21, 2008, based on a complaint from the United Bank of India. According to the prosecution, the firm and the other accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy and fraudulently obtained various credit facilities from the bank.
What happened from investigation to sentencing?
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case on December 20, 2017, following allegations of making money through large-scale bank fraud. After an extensive investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Murari Lal Meena on August 28, 2019.
Subsequently, on January 23, 2024, the court framed charges against the accused. Upon the conclusion of the trial, the court found Meena guilty and sentenced him. This verdict is being viewed as a stern measure against banking fraud.
