ED detains bank officials for depositing Rs 6.6 cr in their accounts

Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers detained some officials of Metiabruz branch of a nationalised bank on Monday after finding that Rs 6.60 crore was deposited in their nine different accounts.

The investigating officers suspect that the accounts were opened to help some businessmen to exchange demonetised high value notes with valid ones.

Sources said ED officers had received a tip-off about the involvement of some of the bank 

officials with a racket operating to help businessmen to convert their black money with valid notes.

As a result, the officers first went through the transaction details of the bank and identified the officials in whose accounts Rs 6.60 crore was deposited within a short span of time.

It raised suspicion and the investigating officers decided to interrogate the officials.

It has been learnt that the officials failed to give satisfactory answers when interrogated by the ED officers. The interrogation continued for hours on Monday.

The ED officials were trying to know the names of the person who had given the money to the officials to deposit in their bank accounts.

According to an ED official, the people who are involved in the racket to exchange demonetised notes for businessmen against commission have connections with a section of officials of some banks. This makes their task easier to exchange old high value notes.

It may be mentioned that around 27 employees of nationalised banks and 19 of private banks have been put under suspension on charges of their involved with such rackets since November 8 when demonetisation was announced. Some of the bank employees were transferred as well.

In another development, Income Tax (I-T) officials conducted raids at different places in the state.

During the raids, the investigating officials recovered both new and demonetised notes worth Rs 33 lakh from the houses of two businessmen at Jadavpur and Burabazar on Monday.

The I-T officials recovered Rs 11 lakh from the house of an egg trader at Jadavpur. On the same 

day, Rs 22 lakh was recovered from the house of a jewellery shop owner at Burabazar.