KCC Loan Scam: Former Bank Manager Among Three Convicted in PNB Dhalpur Branch Case
The CBI special court has delivered a major verdict in the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan scam involving Punjab National Bank’s Dhalpur branch in Kullu district. The court sentenced former bank manager Amar Singh Bodh (Kaza) to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of ₹50,000.
The beneficiary, Bholu Ram (Kullu), and the person who prepared forged documents, Tashi Phunchog (Bhuntar), were sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment each and fined ₹1.10 lakh. In case of failure to pay the fine, all the convicts will have to undergo an additional four months of imprisonment.
The verdict was pronounced by the CBI Special Court in Shimla in challan number 7. Judge Dr. Parvinder Singh Arora held that between 2010 and 2013, the accused conspired to obtain a KCC loan of ₹4 lakh by using forged land records and revenue documents.
An expert report submitted to the court confirmed that the signatures and seals purportedly belonging to revenue officials were forged, while the signatures of the accused on the loan documents were found to be genuine. The court observed that the then branch manager Amar Singh Bodh recommended the loan without verifying the authenticity of the beneficiary’s documents.
The court further noted that the former manager abused his official position and, with the help of his associate Tashi Phunchog, executed the criminal conspiracy. Based on the evidence, all three accused were convicted under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Case Background
Following a complaint by Circle Head Rajiv Khanna, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Shimla branch, registered a case on April 11, 2015, against Amar Singh Bodh and other accused under charges of cheating, forgery, misuse of electronic records, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
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