In Bengaluru, bank clerk accused of stealing Rs 6 lakh ends life

BENGALURU: The mystery shrouding the disappearance of Rs 6 lakh from the Canara Bank account of a retired state government employee has taken an interesting turn with the police probe pointing to it being an inside job. A 56-year-old bank clerk had allegedly forged documents, obtained a debit card, and withdrawn the money.
But when investigators, including the bank's internal probe team, zeroed in on clerk Ashok, he died allegedly by suicide. While the incident has appalled the staff of Canara Bank, MG Road branch, Ashok's family has filed a complaint of abetment against them.
The drama unfolded in November when 62-year-old N Krishnappa, a former employee with Cauvery Handicrafts, filed a complaint holding Canara Bank staff responsible for the theft of Rs 6 lakh from his account. He said he had intentionally not opted for a debit card, but someone had withdrawn Rs 6 lakh from his account using a debit card in his name.
"Soon after the FIR was registered, we visited the branch on MG Road. On the same occasion, bank officials too conducted an internal inquiry. It showed that one clerk, Ashok, had forged documents and got the debit card in Krishnappa's name. CCTV footage of different ATM kiosks of Canara Bank, including that on MG Road, showed Ashok drawing cash using the debit card registered in Krishnappa's name," an investigating officer said.
Meanwhile, Ashok was questioned by bank officials. But before police could question him, he hanged himself from the ceiling fan in a hotel room at Attibele on November 24. Ashok's son A Prajwal filed a complaint accusing some staffers of Canara Bank of abetting his suicide. The investigation into that case is still on.
"My father told us (family members) he was being questioned and insulted in an issue related to one Krishnappa. My father became upset when he was suspended on charges of misappropriation of Rs 6 lakh from Krishnappa's account. On November 24 morning, he left home to go to the bank and then went missing. We filed a missing person's complaint. The next day, his body was found inside the hotel room... We found a death note in which my father narrated that he was upset because of the incident at the bank. Also, he mentioned some family issues. I seek legal action against the bank officials who mentally harassed my father and abetted his suicide," Prajwal stated in his complaint.