New Delhi, 28 April (H.S.): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested long‑time absconder Manoj Kumar Sinha in connection with a bank fraud case involving ₹60.86 lakh, more than a decade after the offence was first registered. Sinha had been evading investigation since 2012 and was declared a proclaimed offender after repeatedly failing to appear before the agency.

The case dates back to April 16, 2012, when Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) filed a complaint leading to the registration of an FIR against the State Bank of India’s Shillong main branch, some unidentified BSNL officers, and other associates. The CBI alleged that funds amounting to ₹60.86 lakh were illegally withdrawn from a BSNL account using forged or irregular documentation.

Investigators later found that the transactions bore the hallmarks of a coordinated financial fraud, with the accused allegedly exploiting vulnerabilities in the bank’s internal controls and collusion within the public‑sector network.

After completing the primary investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet against one of the key accused, Sanjeev Kumar Ray, on December 23, 2013. Subsequent probe work uncovered the involvement of additional individuals, including Manoj Kumar Sinha, leading the agency to file a supplementary chargesheet on July 22, 2021.

Since then, Sinha refused to cooperate with the investigation or appear before the court, prompting the agency to seek and obtain a proclamation‑of‑absconder order and a warrant for his arrest. Despite repeated attempts, he managed to stay underground for years, shifting locations and avoiding detection.

Arrest in Patna and next steps

Based on technical surveillance, call‑detail‑record analysis, and field intelligence, the CBI traced Sinha to a new hideout in Patna, Bihar. On April 28, 2026, a special team from the agency’s Anti‑Corruption Branch apprehended him from his residence in the state capital.

Officials said that Sinha will be taken to Shillong under a transit‑arrest warrant and produced before the Special Judge’s court handling the CBI case. The arrest is expected to revive the stalled proceedings and pave the way for a more robust final hearing of the 14‑year‑old bank‑fraud matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar