Eleven years after the Bank of Maharashtra embezzlement case in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, a verdict was rendered, and four people were sentenced, including Vinay Ojha, the father of former cricket player Naman Ojha, who received a seven-year prison term.
Embezzlement case
The Bank of Maharashtra branch in Joulkheda village, which is near the Multai police station in Betul, had Rs 1.25 crore embezzled in 2013. In relation to this issue, the police have filed a complaint against six people. The Multai Additional Sessions Court rendered its decision in the embezzlement case against the Bank of Maharashtra's Joulkheda branch on Tuesday. Abhishek Ratnam, the mastermind in this well-known case, and other defendants have been found guilty and given sentences.
Naman Ojha's father sentenced
Abhishek Ratnam, the mastermind, was fined 80 lakh and given a 10-year prison sentence. Vinay Ojha, the bank's assistant manager at the time and the father of former cricket player Naman Ojha, was also found guilty. He was fined Rs 7 lakh and given a seven-year jail sentence. Furthermore, Dhanraj Pawar and Lakhan Hingwe, two bank traders, were each fined Rs 7 lakh and given a seven-year prison sentence.
In 2013, Abhishek Ratnam, the embezzlement mastermind, carried out the crime by using bank executives' passwords. Notably, Vinay Ojha, the father of former cricket player Naman Ojha, was also employed by the same bank at that time. As this fraud was being investigated, his name came to light.
According to public prosecutor Rajesh Sable, the inquiry revealed that bank officials' passwords were used to carry out the embezzlement. Dinanath Rathore, the bank's cashier, died during the investigation. Furthermore, Nilesh Chatrole, a trainee branch manager whose ID and password were exploited, was freed by the court after being declared not guilty. Four defendants have been found guilty and sentenced by the court.
According to advocate Vishal Kodale, Abhishek Ratnam and Vinay Ojha created fictitious accounts and stole Rs 1.25 crore with the use of agents. Four of the accused in this case have been jailed by the court, while the trainee branch manager, whose ID and password were misused by the accused, has been found not guilty. The entire area was rocked by this Bank of Maharashtra case from the village of Joulkheda in the Multai block. The ruling of the court sends a clear statement against corruption.