₹73 lakh ‘fraudulently’ withdrawn from Panchkula law firm’s account

The owner of a law firm in Panchkula has alleged that ₹73 lakh were “fraudulently” withdrawn from the company’s bank account.

Gagan Anand of Sector 4, Mansa Devi Complex, filed a complaint that his finance manager, Swati of Dhakoli, noticed on February 26 that ₹73 lakh were missing from the firm’s account. The firm has 30 employees. The owner said Swati had been working for him for the past 12 years and had checked the balance on February 23, and noticed the discrepancy on February 26. Anand said he and his father were the authorised signatories on the account and internet banking was activated as well.

Anand alleged that the private bank that operated the account, the bank’s staff and his internet service provider, a private telecom operator, were involved in the theft. The owner alleged that when he tried to meet the bank manager, the latter refused and said they were looking into the matter.

A case under Sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust),420 (cheating),467 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc.), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating),471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the cyber crime police station in Sector 12.