A sensational financial scandal has gripped Tripura as Ramayani Shrimayi, a cashier at UCO Bank’s Agartala branch, was arrested for her alleged role in a staggering Rs 16 crore fraud. The scam involved siphoning funds from the Agartala Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) account through forged cheques, leaving authorities and residents in disbelief.
The accused, a resident of Nagaon, Assam, was apprehended late Friday night following a police investigation triggered by the bank’s complaint on September 5. The complaint was filed after the bank detected unauthorized withdrawals amounting to Rs 16 crore, executed using six cloned cheques between August 5 and September 2. Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Sadar, DP Roy, confirmed that Shrimayi would be presented before a local court on Saturday for further legal proceedings.
West Tripura SP Namit Pathak has formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT), led by Additional SP Drubha Nath, to delve deeper into the fraud. The SIT’s preliminary findings reveal a sophisticated scheme involving forged documents and unauthorized transactions. So far, the police have managed to recover Rs 7 crore by tracing online transactions linked to the scam, but the investigation is far from over.
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Authorities suspect that the operation may involve additional accomplices, as the scale of the fraud suggests a well-coordinated effort. The cloned cheques were reportedly used to divert funds to multiple accounts, raising questions about internal security measures at the bank. “We are working tirelessly to uncover the full extent of this fraud and ensure all culprits are brought to justice,” said Roy.
The incident has sparked outrage among AMC officials and the public, with many questioning how such a massive fraud went undetected for nearly a month. UCO Bank has assured full cooperation with the police and is conducting an internal audit to identify lapses in its systems.
As the investigation continues, the case has sent shockwaves through Tripura’s financial sector, highlighting the need for stronger safeguards against such fraudulent activities. The police are urging anyone with information related to the case to come forward as they work to recover the remaining defrauded funds and prevent similar incidents in the future.
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