In a significant development, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Police arrested Vinay Sonkar, the former Manager of the Punjab National Bank (PNB), in connection with a massive fraud case. Sonkar, who was previously posted at the Circle Office, Balasore, has been accused of misappropriating Rs1.23 crore from the bank during his tenure.
The arrest was made on 6th December 2024 in Burdwan, West Bengal, based on a complaint filed by Mrinal Kanti Mohanti, the Chief Manager at PNB, Balasore. The case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 409 (Criminal Breach of Trust), 467 (Forgery of valuable security), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using forged documents), and 120-B (Criminal conspiracy).
According to the complaint, Sonkar had, while serving as the Manager at the Circle Office, PNB Balasore, directed the Branch Manager of PNB Balasore Main Branch to transfer a total of Rs1,23,12,236.01 into unauthorized accounts. This fraudulent transfer was carried out in multiple phases and without any proper authorization or due diligence.
The bank alleged that Sonkar, who was responsible for handling the General Services Administration Department (GSAD) and managing funds under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), had manipulated the accounts. Rather than directing the money to the intended government accounts for loans for the poor, he instructed the bank to credit the funds into multiple unauthorized accounts, causing a significant loss to the institution.
The fraud, which occurred over several transactions, has raised serious concerns regarding Sonkar’s involvement in similar fraudulent activities in the past. It was revealed that while posted at Rishra Morepukur Branch in Hooghly, West Bengal in 2022, Sonkar had committed a similar fraud to the tune of ₹80 lakh. Following the discovery of that scam, the bank had removed him from service.
Following the recent arrest, Sonkar was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Purba Burdwan and has been remanded to transit custody. He will be taken to Balasore for further investigations under the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (OPID) Act.
