M.Arundhathi v. The State Rep By Its,
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
Reserved on :22.04.2022 Pronounced on :26.04.2022
CORAM:
THE HONOURABLE DR. JUSTICE G. JAYACHANDRAN Crl.O.P.No.8935 of 2022 M.Arundhathi .. Petitioner/Accused /versus/ State Rep.by Inspector of Police (Crimes), T-12 Police Station, Poonamallee, Chennai -56.
(Cr.No.122/2022) .. Respondent/Complainant Criminal Original Petition has been filed under Section 439 of Cr.P.C., praying to enlarge the petitioner/accused on bail pending in Crime No.122/2022 on the file of the Inspector of Police (Crimes), T12 Police Station, Poonamallee, Chennai-56. For Petitioner :Mr.D.N.Dhurgasha For Respondent :Mrs.G.V.Kasthuri, Additional Public Prosecutor (Crl.Side) ------
O R D E R
The petitioner, who was arrested and remanded into judicial custody on 21.03.2022 for the alleged offences punishable under Sections 468, 409 & 420 of IPC in Crime No.122 of 2022 on the file of the respondent police based on the complaint given by one V.Vedamurthy, HDFC Bank, Kattupakkam Branch, Chennai, seeks bail. 2.The petitioner herein is the former Branch Manager of HDFC Bank, Kattupakkam Branch. Based on the complaints received from the customers that the petitioner has misappropriated their money by forging their signatures in the cheque, a complaint dated 03/03/2022 given by the present Branch Manager, Mr.Vedamurthy.
3.From the complaint, it appears that the petitioner while working in the Kattupakkam Branch of HDFC Bank between 10/04/2018 and 20/11/2020 alleged to have forged the signature and misappropriated Rs.2,40,000/- from the account of M/s Inner Bio Nutritional Foods Private Limited. She has illegally withdrawn Rs.4,00,000/- from the account of an NRI customer by name Mr.Srikant Ramamurthy, who remitted money for his Life Insurance yearly premium. Likewise, a sum of Rs.2,50,000/- from the account of M/s Rosum Natural Products Private Limited has been withdrawn using forged signature of the customer. By misusing her position as Branch Manager, the petitioner alleged to have withdrawn the money through forged cheques. 4.The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that, the petitioner is an innocent person.
Since she has borrowed money privately from some of the bank customers and unable to pay, they created trouble to the petitioner at her work place. Hence, she was forced to resign her job during November 2020. After two years, the present Branch Manger has given the complaint as if she has misappropriated the customers money and forged the bank documents. 5.This Court, on perusing the CD file, finds that the petitioner has alleged to have misappropriated the customers money by forging document and by committing breach of trust. The investigation is at nascent stage and the Investigating Officer has collected signatures of the victims for handwriting experts opinion. The victims have given statements implicating this petitioner for withdrawal of their money without their knowledge.
The Audit Team of the complainant Bank has found out few other case of manipulations of registers, in which this petitioner is involved, while she was serving in the complainant bank.
6. In the said circumstances, grant of bail to the petitioner at this stage will hamper the investigation. Hence, this Criminal Original Petition is dismissed.
-sd/- 26/04/2022 This order, on being produced, be punctually observed and carried into execution by all concerned TRUE COPY Sub-Assistant Registrar (Statistics/C.S.) High Court, Madras - 600 104.
TO 1 THE METROPOLITAN MAGISTRATE, NO.X,EGMORE, CHENNAI-08.
2 THE SUPERINTENDENT, CENTRAL PRISON, WOMEN WING, PUZHAL, CHENNAI-66.
3 THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE, CRIMES, T-12 POLICE STATION, POONAMALLEE, CHENNAI - 56.
4 THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HIGH COURT, MADRAS.
+1 CC to M/S.D.N.DHURGASHA Advocate on payment of necessary charges SR.NO. 6191 CRL OP.8935/2022 Date :26/04/2022 RW 27/04/2022