A significant financial scandal has surfaced at Union Bank’s Digapahandi branch in Ganjam district, with clerk Priyam Pratham Sabat arrested for allegedly misappropriating Rs70 lakh from customer accounts.
Sabat, employed by the bank since 2024, held critical roles including ledger updates, opening new accounts, and processing fund transfers. Due to his involvement in key operations, he often assumed the role of assistant manager during the branch manager’s absence.
Investigators revealed that Sabat used his authority to unlawfully redirect funds from customer accounts into unauthorized destinations, all without informing the account holders. The misconduct came to light during an internal audit, which flagged serious discrepancies in financial records.
Following a formal complaint by the branch manager, Digapahandi police launched an inquiry. After verifying substantial evidence, authorities arrested Sabat, shocking the local banking sector.
The incident has highlighted urgent gaps in internal oversight and has renewed calls for stronger financial accountability measures in regional bank branches.
