Jaipur CBI court jails ex-Bank of Maharashtra manager for 7 years in Rs 3.61 crore fraud

A CBI court in Jaipur has convicted Ram Bharose Meena, then manager of a Bank of Maharashtra (BOM) branch, in a Rs 3.61 crore fraud case. The court sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh.

The charges against Makhan Lal Meena were also proved in the same case. He was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000.

The case dates to 2016. The bank's regional office in Jaipur gave a written complaint on June 3, 2016. On the basis of that complaint, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case on November 9, 2016. The complaint said that Ram Bharose Meena, the branch manager at the time, misused his position, committed fraud and caused financial loss to the bank through forged documents.

According to the allegations, between January 15, 2015 and May 6, 2015, Meena illegally sanctioned loans in 17 accounts. Valid loan applications, the required documents and adequate security were not taken. According to the CBI, this caused the bank a loss of Rs 3.61 crore.

After the investigation was completed, the CBI filed a chargesheet against both Ram Bharose Meena and Makhan Lal Meena on July 9, 2020. The court framed charges against both on December 1, 2021, and the trial began from then on.

During the trial, the investigating agency placed witnesses and evidence relating to the charges before the court. When the trial concluded, the CBI court in Jaipur held both guilty.

The court finally ruled that Ram Bharose Meena must serve seven years' imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 2.85 lakh, while Makhan Lal Meena must serve three years' imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 25,000.