Former banker granted bail in fraud case

Tribune News Service

Monday, July 2

A local court today granted bail to a former employee of ICICI Bank. Arun Saluja, who was the wealth adviser of the bank, was allegedly involved in a Rs 13-lakh fraud. He was asked to furnish bail bonds of Rs 30,000. 

A case was registered against Saluja, based on a complaint of Krishna Lata Sharma, wherein she alleged that she deposited Rs 13 lakh in her ICICI bank account on May 19, 2017. She did so with the help of Saluja, who used to guide her on investments. She gave him two cheques for Rs 6.50 lakh each, which he withdrew on the same day. One was withdrawn on his wife’s name and on May 22, he withdrew the second one in Amit Sharma’s name, who was his wife’s business associate. 

After 15 days, when Sharma checked her passbook, she found about the transaction. When she contacted Saluja to find out about the same, he claimed to have invested her money. He allegedly asked her not to doubt him as he had been a part of the same for over 10 years.

After a few days, he had deposited Rs 55,000 in her account and claimed it was the interest earned on the amount she had deposited.  Sharma told him that she wanted the principal amount of Rs 13 lakh and not the interest but he kept giving her reassurances. Sharma was a senior citizen and her husband was a heart patient. She was, thus, talking with him over the telephone from Shimla.

Sharma managed to contact the bank’s outlet in Mani Majra and was told that Saluja was not at the bank. The bank had already lodged a complaint against Saluja as he had allegedly duped other people as well in a similar manner.  It was discovered that his residence in Sector 21 was locked. His wife’s mobile showroom, along with his father’s Verka booth, were also shut in Sector 21.