A Special CBI Court in Shimla has handed down a two-year prison term and imposed a total fine of Rs 80,000 on four individuals involved in three bank fraud cases linked to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans from an SBI branch in Kangra. The convicted individuals, Bachitter Singh, Roshan Lal, Harkirat Singh, and Shammi, were found guilty of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, as per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI initiated the case on February 22, 2013, against several individuals, including bank officials and private persons, for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to secure KCC loans using fake or forged documents from SBI, Dehra, District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. Following investigations, the CBI filed multiple charge sheets in the Special CBI Court, Shimla, and the Court of Special Magistrate–cum-CJM, Shimla, leading to the recent convictions and sentencing of the four culprits.
The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, aimed at providing farmers with accessible credit for farming activities and household expenses, offers loans up to Rs 3 lakhs at an interest rate of 7 per cent per annum, which can drop to 4 per cent per annum with timely repayments. The CBI emphasized its dedication to upholding accountability in cases involving economic offenses, corruption, and public fraud, especially those impacting the welfare of ordinary citizens and homebuyers.
