Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 24: The Special Crime Wing (SCW), Crime Branch Jammu, today filed a charge-sheet before the Hon'ble Electricity Court, Jammu against accused Umesh Kumar, son of Ram Rattan, resident of Janipur, Jammu, in connection with a bank loan fraud involving an agricultural tractor loan of Rs 7,07,815. The charge-sheet has been filed under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 201 RPC.
The case originated from a complaint lodged by the Branch Manager, State Bank of India, Agriculture Development Branch, Paloura, alleging that the accused had fraudulently obtained a Tatkal Tractor Loan in 2019 for the purchase of a Swaraj 855 tractor by submitting forged revenue documents. After the loan was sanctioned and the amount disbursed directly to the tractor dealer, the accused took delivery of the tractor but neither repaid the loan nor could the financed vehicle subsequently be traced.
Following a preliminary verification, a formal case was registered and entrusted to Dy.SP Anam Zahoor Manhas for investigation. During the investigation, documentary evidence was collected from the bank, revenue authorities, the tractor dealer, the Regional Transport Office, and other relevant agencies. Revenue verification established that the land documents submitted by the accused were forged and did not relate to him. Handwriting and signature examination conducted by the Forensic Science Laboratory also corroborated the authenticity of the questioned documents.
The investigation further established that although the concerned bank official had failed to adequately verify the documents before sanctioning the loan, no evidence of criminal conspiracy or dishonest intention on his part emerged during the investigation. Consequently, allegations under the Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy were dropped against the bank official.
The investigation concluded that accused Umesh Kumar dishonestly obtained the loan by using forged documents as genuine and subsequently failed to produce or account for the financed tractor, which remains untraced. Accordingly, offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 201 RPC were found proved against him.
On transfer of the initial IO, investigation was carried out by DYSP Javeed Iqbal Tabassum, who did commendable progress in the case and today presented the charge-sheet before the competent court for judicial determination. |
