CBI court convicts 5 in Robin Mayne bank fraud case

CHENNAI: A CBI court here today convicted five persons, including prime accused Robin Mayne, and sentenced them to varying terms of imprisonment in a more than 30-year- old bank fraud case in which former Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker late K Kalimuthu of AIADMK was also an accused.

XI Additional Judge (Special Court for CBI Cases) K Venkatasamy also acquitted 11 other accused in the case related to alleged availing of loans to the tune of Rs 56 lakh from nine nationalised banks by submitting forged documents in 1983 when Kalimuthu was Agriculture Minister in the state.

Convicting the 71-year old Mayne of offences including cheating, criminal conspiray, forgery, the Judge sentenced him to seven years rigorous imprisonment.

He also imposed a hefty fine of Rs 1.67 crore on Mayne and other convicts, his accomplices. Out of the total fine amount, Rs 57 lakh should be provided to the nine banks as compensation.

Others sentenced are Surya Kumar (four years RI) Shahul Hameed (two years RI), Basin Sen (two years RI) and Soma Sundaram (three years RI).

CBI had filed a charge sheet against a total of 32 persons in 1988 but only 16 were present in the court today as others either died or are absconding.

Kalimuthu, who was the Speaker from 2001 to 2006, died in November 2006.

According to prosecution, Kalimuthu in his capacity as the then Agriculture Minister allegedly directed nine nationalised banks to provide Rs 56 lakh loan to Mayne and others for purchasing tractors in 1983.

Mayne and the other accused allegedly submitted forged documents to avail loans. The charge sheet had also said Kalimuthu had parked huge amount of funds belonging to Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board with nationalised banks.