Kolkata: Arnab Biswas, a former cashier and vault manager of a nationalised bank in Bhowanipore, was arrested for allegedly stealing 571 grams of gold jewellery worth over Rs62 lakh from a bank locker using a forged signature.
The incident dates back to August 2017 when Siddika Khatun had pledged her gold and diamond jewellery as collateral for a Rs9.4 lakh loan taken for her son’s MBBS education. The loan was fully repaid by January 2018, but the jewellery was not immediately withdrawn as Khatun was residing outside Kolkata.
In 2024, when Khatun returned to retrieve her valuables, she discovered the locker empty. The bank manager claimed the gold had been removed years ago with her consent, showing a signature that the family alleged was forged.
After an internal enquiry by the bank yielded no results, the family filed a police complaint. Forensic experts confirmed the signature was forged and investigations revealed the forgery took place inside the bank, implicating those with vault access.
Police had previously arrested another individual and have now taken Biswas into custody. He was presented before the Alipore Court, which ordered his police custody until September 16 for further questioning.
A senior Kolkata police official said, “We have apprehended the former cashier within nine days of police custody. He will be questioned to uncover more leads in this case.”
