Karnal firm directors jailed for ₹68-crore fraud

Three directors of M/s Shakti Basmati Rice Pvt Ltd, Karnal, get 2.5-year jail while the fourth director, an elderly woman) has been awarded 1.5 years of imprisonment

The court of CBI special judicial magistrate Anil Kumar Yadav has convicted the directors of M/s Shakti Basmati Rice Pvt Ltd, Karnal, in ₹68.41-crore bank fraud case, sentencing them to imprisonment for 1.5 years to 2.5 years. The court found the firm guilty under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and also directed it to pay a fine of ₹15,000 under each section, amounting to ₹30,000.

An investigation revealed the accused infused share capital by diverting bank funds and siphoned off loan funds into other accounts.

Registered by the CBI’s special task branch, New Delhi, the case stemmed from a complaint filed by Bharat Bhushan Kakkar, then SBI’s deputy general manager, in March 2020. Company directors Parveen Kumar and Suresh Kumar, along with Brij Mohan and Saroj Bala, were convicted under Sections 120-B, 420, 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document). Parveen, Suresh and Brij Mohan received a sentence of two-and-a-half year jail, coupled with fines of ₹15,000 each for Sections 120-B and 420, and ₹10,000 for Section 471. Saroj Bala, an elderly woman, was sentenced to one-and-a-half year imprisonment and a similar fine.

Chartered accountant Nagesh Kumar was also held guilty under Sections 120-B, 420 and 471, receiving a two-year imprisonment sentence and fine of ₹15,000 each for Sections 120-B and 420. Sham Lal, one of the accused, died during the trial so proceedings against him were dropped.

During the hearing on quantum of sentence, the CBI counsel emphasised the substantial loss of ₹68.41 crore to the complainant (SBI). He highlighted how the accused projected a false “rosy picture” of the company, using inflated figures in audited balance sheets and under-reporting sundry creditors to secure loans without actual goods movement.

The investigation revealed the accused infused share capital by diverting bank funds, disposed of hypothecated stock without bank approval, and siphoned off loan funds into other accounts, causing a wrongful loss of ₹56.32 crore. Furthermore, the company diverted ₹24.86 crore to seven Delhi-based shell firms without actual business transactions.

M/s Shakti Basmati Rice Pvt Ltd initially received credit facilities of ₹15 crore in 2009, which were subsequently increased to ₹68.41 crore by 2015 based on forged balance sheets and misrepresented facts, ultimately leading to the fraud.