The EOW has arrested Rajeev Ranjan Pandey in connection to the New India Cooperative Bank money siphoning case, marking the eighth arrest. Pandey, who received ₹15 crore, is linked to Unnathan Arunachalam. Future plans include brain mapping on main accused Hitesh Mehta, following deceptive lie detector test results. Other arrested individuals include Haji Javed Azam, while former bank chairpersons maintain their innocence.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has apprehended Rajeev Ranjan Pandey, a 45-year-old man from Jharkhand, marking the eighth arrest linked to the New India Cooperative Bank money siphoning scheme. Authorities report that Mr. Pandey was a beneficiary, receiving approximately ₹15 crore from the total ₹122 crore that was siphoned from the bank.
Police informed that Rajeev Ranjan Pandey was arrested in Bokaro following information gathered from the interrogation of another accused, Unnathan Arunachalam. Unnathan, a businessman in solar panels, is said to have received about ₹50 crore from Hitesh Mehta, the main accused and General Manager of accounts at the bank.
Interrogations revealed that Unnathan transferred around ₹15 crore to Pandey. Authorities emphasized that Pandey is involved in money doubling schemes, and they are investigating the reasons behind his receipt of the funds. Additionally, the police plan to conduct brain mapping on Hitesh Mehta on March 28 due to some deceptive indicators during his lie detector test.
Moreover, Haji Javed Azam, the sibling of BJP’s former Maharashtra secretary, Hyder Azam, has also been arrested in connection to the case and is suspected of owning eight electronic stores in Bihar named Digital Duniya. In another development, former bank chairpersons Gauri and Hiren Bhanu, who remain at large, have asserted their innocence, attributing responsibility for the scam to Hitesh Mehta through their counsel Sajjal Yadav.
In conclusion, the EOW continues to make significant strides in the New India Cooperative Bank siphoning case with the recent arrest of Rajeev Ranjan Pandey as the eighth suspect. Investigations reveal complex financial interactions among the accused, and authorities are taking further measures to clarify the extent of the financial misconduct. The case illustrates the seriousness of economic offences and the ongoing efforts to address such frauds.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
