Former Maruti MD Jagdish Khattar booked for duping PNB of Rs 110 crore

A case has been registered against Maruti Udyog's former Managing Director Jagdish Khattar in connection with an alleged bank loan fraud of Rs 110 crore by his new company, the CBI said on Tuesday.

Khattar and his company, Carnation Auto India Ltd allegedly caused a loss of Rs 110 crore to state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB).

Khattar and his firm have been named along with other unidentified persons in the recent FIR filed by the agency in the case on a complaint by the bank. Khattar was with Maruti Udyog Ltd from 1993 to 2007 and was the company's Managing Director before retirement. After almost a gap of around two years after hus retirement, Khasttar launched Carnation for which he got a loan of Rs 170 crore sanctioned in 2009. As per the CBI's FIR, the loan taken by Khattar was declared a non-performing asset in 2015, with effect from 2012.

According to the FIR, a forensic audit, conducted by the bank through KG Somani and Company, reported that the accused borrower had dishonestly and fraudulently sold fixed assets costing Rs 6,692.48 lakh for a consideration amount of Rs 455.9 lakhs without the approval of the bank. These assets had been furnished as security to the bank, but after the sale, the accused borrower did not deposit sale proceeds with the bank.

"It was also found that the accused borrower had dishonestly and fraudulently extended loans and advances to its sister concern/subsidiaries also. Thereby it has committed misappropriation of bank funds and has put them for own use," said the FIR.

The CBI will also probe the role of bank officials who played a crucial role in this conspiracy.

"The bank in its complaint on October 17, 2019, has mentioned the names of the five accused persons out of which three companies are guarantors, namely Khattar Auto India, Carnation Realty and Carnation Insurance Broking Company. However, during verification no role of guarantors in committing the fraud with the bank came to light as such they are not named in the FIR," added the FIR.

(With inputs from IANS.)