Agartala is reeling under shock after a massive ₹16 crore fraud case involving the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) came to light. The incident has sparked widespread concern among citizens, with police and bank authorities working round the clock to resolve the issue.
According to official sources, the West Agartala Police has successfully traced and frozen nearly ₹6 crore of the embezzled funds. The development came after intense questioning of certain bank employees. However, no arrests have been made so far.
Rana Chatterjee, Officer-in-Charge of the West Agartala police station and a former CBI officer, is leading the investigation. Speaking to the media, he confirmed that multiple suspects are under surveillance. He also clarified that the priority is to recover the stolen money before taking legal action against the culprits. “The investigation is progressing in the right direction, but names cannot be disclosed at this stage to ensure accuracy and fairness,” Chatterjee said.
UCO Bank Assures AMC of Full Insurance Refund
In a parallel development, the United Commercial (UCO) Bank has assured AMC that the entire amount of ₹16 crore, which was insured, will be refunded. Bank officials revealed that the fraud was carried out using three cloned cheques, through which the money was withdrawn in installments.
The UCO Bank authority has also filed an FIR with West Agartala Police to support the investigation. Internal sources suggest that the fraudulent activities were meticulously planned, making it one of the most significant financial scams in Tripura’s recent history.
Mayor Rules Out AMC Staff Involvement
Breaking his silence on the issue, AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder categorically denied any involvement of AMC employees in the scam. He stated that the fraud was primarily linked to frontmen of a Hyderabad-based company and certain UCO Bank staff members.
“The matter came to light only after examining the monthly transaction report from UCO Bank, which showed ₹16 crore had been siphoned off in four installments. This is a clear case of banking malpractice, and AMC’s role is limited to being the victim,” Majumder said while addressing the media during his visit to Ward No. 11.
The Mayor also reiterated that UCO Bank will be held accountable for the fraud and must ensure a full refund of the defrauded funds.
Public Concern and Way Forward
The scam has raised serious questions about banking security and accountability in public fund management. While citizens await justice, the assurance of a refund from UCO Bank has provided some relief.
For now, the police investigation continues, with the focus on recovering the full ₹16 crore and identifying the masterminds behind the scam.