Rupali Bank official gets jail term for embezzling depositors' money

A Chittagong court yesterday sentenced a former bank official to six years in jail for two separate cases filed by the Anti Corruption Commission over misappropriating about Tk 9 lakh of depositors' money.

The convict is Purabi Debi Barua, a senior officer of the women's branch of Rupali Bank at Kazir Dewri. She is now on the run, said Mahmudul Haque Mahmud, public prosecutor.

The court also fined the bank official the amount that she embezzled, in default of which she would have to serve an additional six months in jail, said the PP.

In 1996, Barua accepted over Tk 1 lakh in deposits from seven customers on behalf of the bank but never credited the accounts with the sums.

The following year, in the same manner, she pocketed a further Tk 8.54 lakh of 28 depositors, said the PP.

Subsequently, on August 1, 2000, the then ACC deputy assistant director Md Sirajul Haque lodged two separate cases with Kotwali Police Station accusing the bank official in this connection.

After testifying 15 witnesses for one case and 13 for the other, the court awarded Barua three years of rigorous imprisonment in each case. 

On July 19 in 2012, ACC submitted the charge sheets, and on January 17, 2013, the charges were framed, said the PP.

The court directed the district collector to deposit the money in the state exchequer by realising it from the movable or immovable property of the convict.