Mumbai/Ahmedabad: In a high-octane chase spanning 13 hours and two states, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday apprehended suspended Bank of India (BOI) officer Hitesh Singla, accused of embezzling ₹16.10 crore from 127 accounts belonging to senior citizens, minors, deceased clients, and dormant account holders.
Singla, who had been on the run since the scam surfaced, was intercepted on the 19320 Mahamana Express (Ujjain–Veraval) in Ahmedabad during the early hours of Wednesday.
The 32-year-old accused reportedly attempted to evade capture by constantly switching seats and compartments, creating confusion for investigators.
Later in the day, Singla was presented before a special PMLA court in Mumbai, which granted the ED custody until Tuesday.
Modus Operandi
ED investigators revealed that Singla’s fraudulent operations spanned two years, from May 2023 to July 2025.
With what officials described as deliberate criminal intent, he allegedly manipulated BOI’s banking systems to close fixed deposits, Public Provident Funds (PPFs), senior citizen savings accounts, current accounts, and even dormant accounts without authorization.
The misappropriated funds were then transferred in small instalments to his personal accounts at State Bank of India, a strategy designed to camouflage the diversions.
The investigation further revealed a targeted pattern: Singla reportedly chose accounts least likely to be scrutinized, including those of the elderly, minors, deceased individuals, and long-inactive accounts.
By focusing on such vulnerable account holders, he sustained the fraud undetected for months, steadily amassing illicit gains.
“Using this method, Singla defrauded BOI and its customers of ₹16.10 crore, causing significant financial loss, tarnishing the bank’s reputation, and eroding public trust by exploiting his official position,” an ED official stated.
The Arrest Operation
Following the detection of irregularities, Singla absconded and did not report for duty. Acting on intelligence, ED teams began surveillance on Tuesday night, tracking him on a sleeper-class ticket aboard the Mahamana Express.
Surveillance commenced around 7:30 PM Tuesday, with an ED team flying from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, arriving around 1:30 AM, while another officer boarded the train at Godhra to monitor the accused.
Singla, however, was not found in his designated berth. He reportedly upgraded to an AC coach mid-journey, frequently changing seats and compartments to elude detection.
Upon arrival at Ahmedabad station, ED officials, in coordination with railway authorities, identified and intercepted him after cross-verifying passenger records. “Though he kept moving inside the train, the team successfully nabbed him as soon as he disembarked,” an official noted.
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The ED case originates from an FIR lodged by the CBI on August 6. Acting on a written complaint by Om Prakash, deputy zonal manager of BOI, the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Mumbai registered the case against Singla and unnamed accomplices under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, and other relevant laws.
Investigators suspect that Singla may have diverted portions of the embezzled funds into the stock market, and authorities are now tracing the money trail to recover the misappropriated sums. Searches have also been conducted at the residences of associates connected to the accused.
This case highlights the sophistication of internal banking frauds and the critical role of multi-agency coordination in tracking and apprehending financial fugitives.
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