PANAJI: The Economic Offences Cell (EOC) of the Goa police probing the alleged multi-crore fraud in the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) is now exploring the role of officials of the bank in which the bank account was opened illegally in the name of GCA.
A top executive of the Development Credit Bank (DCB) from its head office in Mumbai has been summoned by the EOC on Friday.
Sources said that owing to some discrepancies in the procedure of bank operations, police felt the need to summon the top executive of the DCB.
“From opening of the bank account to withdrawal of money, there are a number of discrepancies that came to light during the probe. As such, police want clarification from the bank’s side,” sources said.
As per the police investigation, a bank account was opened illegally in the DCB in the city in April 2007, only to deposit the Rs 2.87 crore cheque received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The money was subsequently withdrawn in a period of one year through bearer cheques.
Except for one cheque, the remaining cheques did not carry the full names of the receivers, the probe has revealed. There was no signature of the receiver present on the back side of most of the cheques. The inquiry has also revealed that the money in question has been withdrawn through 49 transactions. Rs 15 lakh is said to be the highest amount that has been withdrawn through a single transaction. Even the mailing address on the account opening form was that of the DCB and a letter was submitted at the time of opening of the bank account with directions to send any correspondence only to the mailing address.
A former bank manager’s statement has already been recorded before a magistrate under 164 CrPC in connection with the case. According to sources, the then manager has confirmed that GCA president Chetan Desai, secretary Vinod Phadke and treasurer Akbar Mulla had their signatures on the form to open the illegal bank account in the name of GCA.
Police have so far questioned a number of persons connected to the GCA as well as the bank. Some of them have claimed ignorance while majority of them are learnt to have given statement in support of the prosecution. In the next few days, police are likely to move for recording statements of some more people connected with the case, under 164 CrPC, sources said.