Raipur (Chhattisgarh): In Chhapora village of Sakti district, Chhattisgarh, a fraudulent branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) was intentionally opened last month to deceive residents. Within just ten days of its establishment, police and a team from the legitimate SBI were alerted, leading to a raid that saved many from becoming victims of this scam.
Chhapora, a small village located 250 kilometers from Raipur, was the site of this elaborate con. Authorities conducted a surprise raid, but the mastermind behind the fraudulent operation managed to escape and remains at large. Police teams, in collaboration with the Cyber Cell, are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the kingpin, Pankaj, who is identified as the founder and main manager of the fake SBI branch. The SHO of Malkharuda Police Station informed the FPJ over the phone on Thursday that efforts to arrest him are under progress .
The scam resulted in the manager extorting between Rs 12 to Rs 13 lakh from victims, luring them under the pretext of job offers. Fortunately, the bank was not fully operational, preventing further victimization of the public.
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The fake SBI branch, opened on September 18, featured cash counters, paperwork, and furniture designed to closely resemble a legitimate SBI outlet, making it easy to mislead unsuspecting individuals. Villagers were encouraged to open accounts and conduct transactions, while employees were also tricked into believing they had secured stable jobs.
The fraud was uncovered when the manager of a nearby legitimate SBI branch in Dabra grew suspicious. On September 27, police and SBI officials arrived, revealing the operation.
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A senior police official stated that three individuals involved in the scam have been identified: Rekha Sahu, Mandir Das, and Pankaj. The ringleader not only supplied counterfeit documents and fake job titles but also trained all recruits in the bank. In exchange for what were promised as lucrative jobs, he extorted between Rs 2 to Rs 6 lakh from employees.
During the investigation, victimized employees disclosed that they had passed the IBPS exam, which was used as a basis for their employment offers.