New Delhi: In a possibly biggest synchronised action against alleged bank loan defaulters, the CBI Tuesday launched a massive crackdown by carrying out searches at over 61 locations in 18 cities after registering 17 cases involving swindling of funds to the tune of Rs 1,139 crore, officials said.
Over 300 officers drawn from various units of the agency swooped down at over 61 locations and knocked the doors of alleged defaulters on the basis of complaints received from various nationalised banks and inputs developed by the agency under close monitoring of CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and senior officials in Delhi.
The figure, which stood at around Rs 640 crore, swelled to Rs 1,139 crore as the agency continued filing of FIRs during the day and expanding its search operations. Braving the waterlogged Mumbai streets due to incessant rains, the agency officials carried out searches at promoters and directors of Winsome Diamonds founded by absconding diamantaire Jatin Mehta who was booked in a fresh FIR registered under this operation.
This was the 16th FIR against Mehta accusing him of allegedly defaulting Rs 202 crore from Exim Bank. He is accused of allegedly swindling funds to the tune of Rs 6,500 crore.
The searches in Mumbai also covered two other firms booked in separate FIRs on a complaint by Union Bank of India. Five places were searched in connection with Rs 57 crore loss caused to the bank by Supamad Trading Pvt Ltd and one place was searched in connection with Asuti Trading Pvt Ltd for causing loss of Rs 50 crore to the bank.
Two places were searched in Delhi and Mumbai in connection with Asuti Trading. By evening, the agency had already registered 17 FIRs across the country and the process of registering more is going on, they said.
The searches were being conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Ludhiana, Thane, Valsad, Pune, Palani, Gaya, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Surat and Kolar, among others, the officials said.
Other companies include Ludhiana-based Supreme Tex Mart for causing a loss of Rs 143.25 crore to SBI, Aegan Batteries for loss of Rs 98.75 crore to SBI, Gaya-based Ramnanndi Hotels and Resorts Ltd for loss of Rs 131.79 crore.
