A special CBI court in Dharwad has sentenced a former administrative officer of Oriental Insurance Company to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for siphoning off ₹5.3 crore from his employer in an attempt to claim a fraudulent lottery prize. The accused, T. Pradeep (40), hailing from Kannickal in Moolamattom, Idukki district of Kerala, was also fined ₹52 lakh by the court on Monday.
The case background
Pradeep, then working as an administrative officer (accounts) in Dharwad, fell victim to an email lottery scam originating from England in 2013–2014. The email claimed he had won a lottery, but to claim the prize he had to make a series of payments towards processing charges and customs clearance.
Initially, Pradeep used his personal savings and borrowed money from relatives and friends to pay the fraudsters. However, when he was told that ₹5.3 crore was required immediately to release the prize money supposedly seized by customs officials at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, he misused his official authority.
According to the prosecution, Pradeep illegally transferred ₹5.3 crore from Oriental Insurance Company accounts to multiple bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. The funds eventually reached accounts in Nagaland and Manipur, all of which were opened under fake identities.
Discovery and investigation
The insurance company detected discrepancies in its financial records and filed a complaint with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Bengaluru. The subsequent probe revealed that Pradeep had manipulated and altered monthly bank statements to conceal the embezzlement.
Special Public Prosecutor Shivananda Perla said, “The prosecution examined 66 witnesses and produced 350 documentary pieces of evidence to prove the case. However, no recovery was made since the entire amount was withdrawn by the miscreants.”
The verdict
Delivering judgment, Special CBI Judge Zareena found Pradeep guilty of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and corruption under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹52 lakh. Failure to pay the fine will invite additional imprisonment, officials said.
Wider implications
The case highlights how even educated individuals can fall prey to online lottery and phishing scams, and the potential dangers of cyber-enabled financial crimes. Despite years of awareness campaigns, fraudulent emails promising prize money or foreign inheritances continue to dupe unsuspecting people.
Officials also noted that this case exposed vulnerabilities within public sector institutions where individuals with financial authority can misuse their position.
Conclusion
With no recovery made in the case, Oriental Insurance Company has permanently lost the siphoned funds. The verdict, however, underscores the judiciary’s resolve to impose strict punishment in corruption and fraud cases, sending a strong deterrent message against misuse of official power.