Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) secured approval from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court to conduct a forensic psychological test on Hitesh Mehta, the accused in the New India Cooperative Bank fraud case. He is alleged to have embezzled Rs 122 crore from the bank's Prabhadevi and Goregaon branches.
In its application on Friday, the EOW highlighted that Mehta, the bank's general manager, has not been cooperating with the investigation. The court granted permission for tests, including a lie detector test, to help uncover the facts of the case, an official confirmed.
Mehta claims that he gave crores of rupees to construction businessman Dharmesh Paun, solar panel businessman Arunachalam, and civil contractor Kapil Dedhia. However, the trio deny receiving as much money as Mehta alleges. As a result, the police sought permission to conduct a forensic psychological test on the accused to uncover the truth.
Mehta is alleged to have purchased multiple properties using the embezzled funds. He bought a flat worth Rs 2 crore and a house worth Rs 1.5 crore in Godrej, Vikhroli, a flat worth Rs 2 crore and another flat worth Rs 1.5 crore in Dahisar, and also built a bungalow worth Rs 1 crore in Valsad. The police are preparing to seize these properties soon.
The EOW has also named Hiren Bhanu, 57, the president of the bank, and his wife, Gauri Bhanu, 50, as accused in the case. Gauri, a former vice-president and former president of the bank, is also implicated. Both are NRIs and have fled from the country and the police issued lookout notice. Additionally, civil contractor Kapil Dedhia has been named as an accused. A search for all three is currently underway.
