CBI Nabs Fugitive in ₹12.63 Crore Bank Fraud After 7-Year Hunt

In a major breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Nasreen Taj, a proclaimed offender in a ₹12.63 crore Syndicate Bank fraud case, on July 19, 2025, ending a seven-year manhunt. Taj, living under the alias “Ms. Salma” in Bengaluru, was tracked down using advanced digital tools and relentless field investigations.

The case, registered on April 15, 2009, involved nine accused, including Taj and her husband, Asadullah Khan, then Branch Manager of Syndicate Bank’s Mandya Branch. They allegedly conspired to defraud the bank by securing fraudulent loans, including a ₹1.2 crore Temporary Overdraft and ₹55 lakh in farm loans, which Taj, with no independent income, diverted to repay the overdraft instead of agricultural use.

A charge sheet was filed on October 12, 2010, but Taj vanished in 2019, ignoring summons and multiple non-bailable warrants. In November 2021, a Bengaluru Special Court declared her a proclaimed offender, ordering property attachment. Taj evaded capture by severing family ties, frequently relocating, and adopting a fake identity.

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The CBI’s use of digital footprint analysis and surveillance technology, combined with ground inquiries, led to her arrest. She was remanded to judicial custody by a Bengaluru court, resuming her long-pending trial. The case underscores the power of technology-driven investigations in apprehending elusive offenders.

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