PATHANAMTHITTA: The district police have approached the state police headquarters seeking to hand over the inquiry into the alleged fraud of over Rs 8 crore at the Canara Bank Branch. Two in Pathanamthitta town to the Crime Branch. District Police Chief R Nishanthini said on Wednesday that she has written to the state police headquarters in that regard.
In February, the Pathanamthitta police had launched a manhunt for former Navy personnel Vijeesh Varghese, 36, who allegedly swindled Rs 8 crore from Canara Bank. But the police have been unable to catch him after he escaped with his wife and two children. A native of Avaneeswaram in Pathanapuram, he had been working as a clerk at the branch since June 2019.
A source with the bank said Vijeesh was an efficient employee and one of the favourites of customers. According to the probe team, the accused was in charge of handling fixed deposits and used the system passwords to close the fixed deposit accounts of a few customers and transfer the amount to the accounts of his wife and other relatives.