Tripura Police Recover ₹7 Crore in Bank Fraud, Cashier Arrested

Rapid Summary:

• Tripura Police have advanced their examination into a fraud case were ₹16.38 crore was siphoned from the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) account.
• The money was taken through forged cheques bearing the signature of AMC Commissioner D.K. Chakma from a UCO Bank branch.
• ₹7 crore has been recovered after tracing scammers reportedly based in South Indian states, aided by technical tools on Saturday (September 13, 2025).
• A cashier from UCO Bank’s Agartala branch, identified as Ramayani Shrimayi from Assam’s Nowgaon district, has been arrested for allegedly providing technical support too the scammers.
• The Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional S.P. Dhruva Nath has been constituted to probe the matter further.
• UCO Bank refunded the stolen amount to AMC’s account and is cooperating with authorities to prevent similar incidents in the future.
• the scam occurred between August 25 and September 2,raising political controversy about AMC’s financial integrity concerning smart city project funds; however,officials denied involvement and stated projects are audited and reviewable.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
The recovery of ₹7 crore signifies commendable progress by tripura Police in addressing what appears to be a sophisticated financial scam targeting government funds earmarked for advancement projects like Smart City initiatives. The swift establishment of an SIT may signal an active intent within state governance structures to address institutional vulnerabilities exposed by this incident and rebuild public confidence in administrative systems.

The bank’s proactive reimbursement of embezzled funds reflects corporate responsibility but also highlights a need for tighter internal controls within banking systems against cheque forgery-based thefts-particularly when large public-sector transactions are involved.Questions about clarity in funds management will likely linger due to political criticism and could compel deeper audits or financial oversight reforms across state municipal corporations engaged with high-value infrastructure projects like AMC’s smart city initiative.

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