2 Get 5-Year Jail in Rs 1.71-crore Bank Fraud Case

Visakhapatnam: The Principal Judge for CBI cases in Visakhapatnam, C.N. Murthy, on Monday convicted two persons in a bank fraud case involving Rs 1.71 crore.

The court sentenced Vempadapu Santhoshi Ramu, then clerk-cum-cashier of Andhra Bank at Cheepurupalli in Vizianagaram district, and Mahanthi Ramana, a private individual from Nadipaina Peta in Cheepurupalli mandal, to five years of simple imprisonment.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 1.37 crore on Santhoshi Ramu and Rs 33.5 lakh on Ramana. Following the verdict, the convicts were sent to the Central Prison, Visakhapatnam.

According to the prosecution, Santhoshi Ramu conspired with Ramana and misappropriated ₹1.71 crore entrusted to him for deposit into the account of the Cheepurupalli Rural Electric Co‑operative Society Ltd, which collects electricity charges from consumers in remote areas of the district.

After completion of the trial, the court convicted the accused under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and IPC.