Agartala, Sept 8: The Tripura Police has made a major breakthrough in the sensational ₹16 crore bank fraud involving the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC). Investigators have successfully traced and recovered ₹7 crore siphoned off through fraudulent cheque transactions.
The probe is being led by Rana Chatterjee, Officer-in-Charge of West Agartala Police Station, who previously served with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). His experience in financial crime detection has been instrumental in the swift progress of the case.
Speaking to the media, Chatterjee confirmed that part of the defrauded sum has already been recovered. “₹7 crore has been traced and secured. Our investigation is advancing rapidly, and we are confident that the remaining money will also be recovered. The culprits will be arrested soon,” he stated.
While declining to reveal operational details due to the sensitive stage of the inquiry, Chatterjee described the accused as “sophisticated and technically skilled.” He added that the AMC’s funds are insured by UCO Bank, ensuring that the municipal body will not suffer financial loss.
When asked how AMC’s cheques, which are normally stored under secure custody, could be cloned without access to the originals, and why no mobile alerts were sent to AMC officials, Chatterjee avoided specifics. “These are important questions, but at this stage I cannot comment. We are looking into all possible angles,” he said.
Investigators have also sought technical assistance from UCO Bank’s internal experts to analyze banking operations and digital trails. According to police sources, this collaboration has provided vital leads in tracking the fraudulent transactions.
Officials described this as one of the biggest bank fraud cases in Tripura, with police making rapid headway within weeks of the crime being reported. “For the first time, such a large-scale financial fraud is being cracked so quickly. The case will be fully resolved soon,” Chatterjee assured.
The scam has sparked debate over financial security systems in Tripura, raising concerns about cheque safety, internal monitoring, and timely fraud alerts. Experts have urged both AMC and banking authorities to strengthen their protocols to prevent similar incidents.
With nearly half the stolen money already recovered and the investigation closing in on the perpetrators, authorities are confident of restoring the full amount and bringing the fraudsters to justice.