CBI Nabs Proclaimed Offender In 2013 Bank Fraud Case Of ₹17 Crore

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) who is accused in a Rs 17 crore bank fraud case and was absconding.

The arrested accused has been identified as Ashutosh Pandit, Director of M/s House of Laptops (I) Pvt. Ltd., Pune.

According to the CBI, the case pertains to a bank fraud involving Indian Overseas Bank, Pune, amounting to Rs 17 crore. The case was initially registered with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Mumbai and subsequently transferred to CBI, Pune, where the trial is presently pending.

"Persistent and sustained efforts were made to trace the accused during the course of investigation as well as after filing of the charge-sheet in the year 2013, however, he remained untraceable. After completion of all prescribed legal formalities, the accused Ashutosh Pandit was declared a proclaimed offender in April 2018," said a CBI official.

"Subsequently, based on inputs it was found that the accused Ashutosh Pandit had changed his identity as Yatin Sharma, having a residential address at Bambolim, Goa. The accused had changed his PAN card, Aadhaar card and passport. He had initially obtained a passport from New Delhi and upon its expiry, he procured another passport from Goa," the official said.

The CBI conducted a meticulous operation, duly supported by technical evidence and successfully apprehended the proclaimed offender at his new residence, agency officials said.

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