India-born sentenced to 13 months imprisonment in US

A 22-year-old India-born bank teller has been sentenced to 13 months imprisonment by a US court for faking a bank robbery.

A 22-year-old India-born bank teller has been sentenced to 13 months imprisonment by a US court for faking a bank robbery after prosecutor sought lenient sentence because of "mitigating circumstances".

HT Image

Rajiv Sidhana's accomplice Thomas Galati, 25, got 18 months in prison while a third partner Micron Sanchez Rodriguez, who is in the US illegally, is being held without bail.

Sidhana, who had a bright career ahead of him, and Galati could have got 37 to 46 months in prison but the prosecutor called for reduced sentences and US district judge Faith S Hochberg described the case as "exceptional" while sentencing them.

But Sidhana faces deportation after release, as he is not a permanent resident or an American citizen. He would have received Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology in December.

The drama began on January 2 evening in Midland Park in New Jersey State when Rodriguez handed over a two-page note to Sidhana who was working as a teller. The note, the court records show, was written by Galati a few days earlier.

Galati emptied the bank vault and Sidhana handed him the entire cash. Then Galati pretended to take Sidhana hostage and the three drove off with 202,000 dollars. Sidhana then drove back to bank and reported the matter to police.

Authorities say both cooperated right from the beginning and the entire amount was recovered and returned to the bank.