The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Pramod Kumar, a former manager of the Punjab Gramin Bank’s Bhano Langa branch in Kapurthala district, for embezzling a total of Rs34,92,299. Kumar, who had been absconding since 2022, was arrested in his ancestral village in Kundal, Bikaner district, Rajasthan, after the Vigilance Bureau tracked him down with the help of intelligence inputs.
The case against Pramod Kumar was registered under Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 409 of the Indian Penal Code at Sadar Police Station, Kapurthala. During his tenure as branch manager, Kumar misused his position and fraudulently accessed the login credentials of branch clerks Jagdish Singh and Rajni Bala. Using these credentials, he executed 26 transactions to embezzle Rs34,92,299 from the accounts of 12 different bank account holders.
To cover up the fraud, Kumar deposited Rs8,16,023 back into the accounts of five account holders from the stolen money. However, following an extensive investigation, the charges against him were substantiated, leading to the transfer of the case to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
Pramod Kumar had been on the run for over a year, but was eventually apprehended after the Vigilance Bureau unit in Kapurthala received specific intelligence about his whereabouts in Rajasthan. The authorities continue to investigate the case to uncover whether Kumar was involved in any other fraudulent activities during his time at the bank.
The arrest underscores the growing efforts by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to address corruption and embezzlement within the banking sector.