A special court on Monday sentenced a former recovery agent with the Punjab National Bank (PNB) for demanding a Rs2 crore bribe and later accepting Rs1.80 crore from a businessman to set aside action by the bank for defaulting on a loan in 2012.
Senior manager, the main accused, passed away
The senior manager of the bank was the main accused in the case. He passed away in 2020 and the case against him had abated. The case was registered in July 2012 by a businessman against Mani Bhushan, senior manager, Regional Stationary Distribution Centre, PNB house, Fort and Hakam Mendiratta, a retired employee of the bank, working as a recovery agent in the Asset Recovery Management Branch, Mumbai.
Businessman complained to agencies
Prosecutor Sandeep Singh said the businessman had complained to the superintendent of police, CBI, ACB that the duo had demanded Rs2 crore for providing crucial information that will help him set aside the sale of his property carried out by the asset recovery management branch in September 2010.
The duo hatched the conspiracy
As per the agency’s case, the duo were in conspiracy and Mendiratta had contacted the complainant on July 29, 2012, and informed him to meet the senior manager, who could help him get back his property auctioned by the bank. Mendiratta had allegedly then materialised the meeting at a cafe in Fort. The next month, the duo had allegedly visited the businessman’s office and demanded the bribe, assuring him that he would become the owner of the property worth Rs40 crore again.
The senior manager was apprehended while accepting the bribe of Rs1.80 crore along with Mendiratta in the bank’s office in Fort.
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