Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR : Itanagar Capital Police have arrested former Central Bank of India, Ganga Branch Branch Manager, Vivoto V. Zimo, for allegedly cheating beneficiaries and misappropriating funds released under various government welfare schemes, including the Atmanirbhar Pashupalan Yojana (ANPPY) and the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swavalamban Yojana (DDUSY).

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Superintendent of Police (SP) Jummar Basar said the case came to light after a beneficiary lodged a written complaint at the Itanagar Police Station, alleging that the subsidy amount sanctioned under a government scheme had been fraudulently withdrawn by the bank manager.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered on July 9 and an investigation was launched.

During the course of the investigation, police identified 18 victims, with the total alleged misappropriation estimated at around ₹3.23 crore.

SP Basar said the accused had been absconding during the investigation but was apprehended from his residence in Dimapur, Nagaland, on July 15 with the assistance of the Dimapur Police.

According to the SP, the accused allegedly misused pre-signed withdrawal slips obtained from beneficiaries to siphon off loan and subsidy amounts. The funds were reportedly routed through multiple bank accounts before being invested in cryptocurrency and the stock market.

Police said the investigation is still underway to ascertain the full extent of the fraud and identify any additional victims or accomplices.

The Capital Police have appealed to beneficiaries of government schemes who suspect irregularities in their accounts to come forward with relevant documents and assist in the investigation.