Mumbai: In a significant development in the ₹122 crore scam at New India Cooperative Bank, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is planning to conduct a lie detector test on the prime accused, Hitesh Mehta.
Investigators suspect that Mehta siphoned off ₹122 crore, out of which ₹70 crore was allegedly given to Dharmesh Paun for his SRA project in Charkop, and ₹40 crore was handed over to Arunbhai. However, Paun has denied receiving this amount, claiming he only took ₹2 crore and returned ₹1.50 crore. Recently, Paun claimed he received ₹12 crore. Frequently, accused individuals have been changing their statements.
With conflicting statements from the accused, the EOW will seek permission from the court to conduct a polygraph test on Mehta to verify the truth behind the missing funds, pending Mehta’s consent. The test is expected to shed light on the exact money trail and the involvement of other suspects.
The scam came to light when ₹122 crore was found missing from the bank’s locker during an RBI inspection on February 12. As the investigation intensifies, more arrests and revelations are anticipated in the coming days.
