CBI to probe missing Bank of Maharashtra manager’s case

Geeta Nair

Pune, Aug 8: Bank of Maharashtra has handed over the case of a missing branch manager to the CBI. Mr D Chanda, 45, the manager of the New Alipore branch of the bank has been reportedly missing for the last two months along with his entire family. Mr Chanda had been heading the New Alipore branch for about one and a half years. He has been an employee of the bank for 20 years. Chanda’s previous posting was in Madhya Pradesh. The bank has suspended the deputy manager of the branch for "negligence of duty".

Mr Chanda went missing in the second week of June 2001. The bank filed an FIR with the Calcutta police and approached CBI towards the end of June 2001. Mr SC Basu, chairman and managing director of the bank said in Pune on Tuesday: "On the face of it, there appears to be no problem at the branch with the books of account in balance". However Mr Basu did not rule out possibilities of a fraud.
"The CBI is investigating the case and we do not want to say anything that will hamper the investigation," he said. He denied there was any systemic failure at the bank. The Alipore branch was established 15 years ago and has a staff strength of 15. It is a medium-size branch. "We are not sure if there is a fraud involved", said Mr Basu adding that even if there has been a fraud it will not be more than the size of the branch which is in the range of Rs 20 to Rs 30 crore.