Chennai, Feb 27 (Reporter) A CBI Court on Thursday convicted and sentenced four accused, including the then Manager of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), and two then Proprietors and a Managing Director of private firms to 5-7 years’ Rigorous Imprisonment in the 2012 Rs 19.79 crore bank fraud case. The Court also imposed a total fine of Rs 93 lakh on them and also on a private firm in which one of the accused was the Managing Director, a CBI release said here. The XIth Additional District Judge for CBI Cases, Chennai convicted and sentenced Ignatius Dheepam, then Manager of IOB, Edaikazhinadu Branch, Vettuvankeni near Chennai coming under neighbouring Kancheepuram district, J. Muthiah, then Proprietor of M/s. Muthu Enterprises, Chennai; M.N. Muralidhar, then Proprietor of two firms--M/s. It’s a Genes Thing, Chennai and M/s. Geomatrix Trading, Chennai; Ms Priyalakshmi, then Managing Director of M/s. Uniquestep Marine India Private Limited, Mumbai and M/s. Uniquestep Marine India Private Limited, Mumbai to 5-7 years’ RI with a total fine of Rs. 93 lakh, including Rs 40 lakh on M/s. Uniquestep Marine India Pvt. Ltd. It said while Ignatius Dheepam was sentenced to 7 years’ RI with a fine of Rs. 2.1 lakh; Muthiah and Muralidhar, were sentenced to 5 years’ RI with a fine of 45,000/- each; Priyalakshmi was sentenced to 7 years’ RI with a fine of Rs. 50 lakh. The court also imposed Rs. 40 lakh fine on M/s. Uniquestep Marine India Private Limited, Mumbai. CBI had registered the case on February 13, 2013 against Ignatius Dheepam and others on the basis of complaint preferred by the Assistant General Manager, IOB, Kancheepuram. The complaint said Ignatius Dheepam, while working as such entered into a criminal conspiracy with the other accused persons during the year 2012 with an intention to cheat the bank. On a request from Muthiah and Muralidhar, the then Bank Manager had opened four Letter of Credits (LoCs) totaling Rs.19.79 crore in favour of M/s. Uniquestep Marine India Private Limited, Mumbai represented by Priyalakshmi. It was further alleged that the LoCs were issued with the forged signature of T. Shanmuganathan, the then Deputy Manager, IOB, using forged bank seal. It was also alleged that Ignatius Dheepam received an amount of Rs.19 lakhs during the period from November 1, 2012 to November 30, 2012 in his account held in IOB, Tambaram West Branch, from Muthiah and allegedly played pivotal role in the crime, causing wrongful loss to the bank. Investigations established that all the four LoCs were got discounted at SBI, Sir PM Road Branch, Fort, Mumbai on the basis of the acceptance given by Ignatius Dheepam. It was also established that he received Rs.19 lakh as undue advantage from the account of Muthiah. After completion of investigation, the CBI filed the charge sheet on December 31, 2023 against the convicted accused. The Court, after trial, found the accused guilty and sentenced them accordingly. All the four accused persons were sent to judicial custody...////...