Hunt on for bank staff for ₹8-crore fraud

KOTTAYAM: Staff of a bank in Pathanamthitta who is allegedly involved in a Rs 8.13 crore fraud is absconding since the Canara Bank authorities found out irregularities in the funds. It is Vijish Varghese, 36, of Avaneeswaram who is missing. The bank authorities had filed a complaint with Pathanamthitta police and had also sought a CBI probe. According to a bank official, the issues faced by the customers following the fraud have been settled. The bank has also suspended five staff of the branch, including the manager, for failing to notice the fraud.
The bank officials noticed the fraud in February this year. It was a complaint received by the bank that an account with a deposit of Rs 9.70 lakh was closed without the knowledge of the accountholder which lead to the investigation by the bank officials. An audit done by the officials found out the loss amounting to crores from the branch. According to police, the accused had misused the computer of higher officials in their absence to carry out the fraud. The money was transferred to the account of his wife and relatives. The person had gone absconding with his wife and children ever since the bank began a probe.