Jaipur. A CBI court in Jaipur has convicted three former officials of Oriental Bank of Commerce in a fraud case involving the release of mortgaged securities despite outstanding loan liabilities. The court sentenced all three to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹85,000 on each. The case relates to alleged violations of banking procedures that resulted in a financial loss of more than ₹12 lakh to the bank.
The court convicted Ramji Lal Meena, the then Branch Manager; Murari Lal Meena, the then Special Assistant; and Than Singh Lashkar, the then Peon-cum-Housekeeper at the bank’s Sheosinghpura branch in Dausa district. The court passed its conviction order on September 18 after considering the evidence and documents presented during the trial.
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The case was registered by the CBI on February 1, 2019, on the basis of a complaint filed by the then Deputy General Manager of Oriental Bank of Commerce. The complaint alleged that Murari Lal Meena, while serving as Special Assistant at the Sheosinghpura branch, abused his official position by issuing unauthorised ‘No Dues Certificates’.
According to the allegations, the certificates were used to facilitate the release of securities that had been mortgaged against loans even though liabilities under the respective loan accounts were still outstanding. The CBI alleged that the action resulted in a wrongful loss of ₹12,14,660.71 to the bank across three loan accounts.
The agency examined the relevant bank records, loan accounts, documents and other material during the investigation. After completing the probe, the CBI filed a chargesheet against the three accused before the court on May 5, 2022. The case then proceeded to trial, during which the prosecution presented documentary and other evidence concerning the alleged irregularities.
After considering the evidence, the court found the three former bank officials guilty and sentenced each of them to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. In addition, each convict was ordered to pay a fine of ₹85,000. The judgment brings the criminal trial in the bank fraud case to a conclusion at the trial-court level, subject to any further legal proceedings.
The case centred on the alleged unauthorised issuance of ‘No Dues Certificates’ and the subsequent release of securities linked to loans that had not been fully cleared. Such certificates are used in banking processes to indicate that financial liabilities have been settled. In this case, the CBI alleged that they were issued despite outstanding liabilities, resulting in the release of mortgaged securities and a loss to the bank.
In a separate case, the CBI has registered a disproportionate assets case against retired Northeast Frontier Railway Deputy Chief Engineer Sajal Kanti Das and his wife, Sangita Das. The CBI’s Guwahati branch has alleged that the couple accumulated assets worth approximately ₹88.20 lakh disproportionate to their known sources of income between 2016 and 2022.
According to the agency, the couple’s assets stood at around ₹39.85 lakh in 2016 and increased to ₹1,28,66,946 by 2022. The CBI is examining the sources of funds used to acquire the assets and whether the increase was consistent with the couple’s known income during the period.
Several properties and financial holdings allegedly linked to the couple in Assam’s Cachar district have also come under scrutiny. One of the properties being examined is a house valued at approximately ₹19 lakh, reportedly constructed on five kathas of land in the Rangpur locality of Cachar district.
The CBI is examining property records, financial transactions and other documents to establish the source of the assets. Unlike the Jaipur bank fraud case, in which the court has already convicted and sentenced the three former officials, the disproportionate assets case remains at the investigation stage. The allegations against the couple will be subject to the outcome of the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
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