Vigilance nabs RBI approved Canara Bank Auditor and CA accepting Bribe
The arrest followed a complaint from a Kochi-based businessman.
Vigilance – RBI approved Canara Bank Auditor – CA accepting Bribe – taxscan
Vigilance – RBI approved Canara Bank Auditor – CA accepting Bribe – taxscan
Chartered Accountant (CA) A. Sudhakaran, serving as a Concurrent Auditor at Canara Bank’s Mavelikara branch, was apprehended by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Saturday while accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 at his residence in Chinnakada in a trap set up by the Ernakulam unit as part of Operation Spot Trap.
The complainant, a native of Panampilly Nagar in Ernakulam and running skill development firms in various districts of Kerala, had taken a loan from Canara Bank in Mavelikara for various purposes. Sudhakaran, who is in charge of the concurrent auditor at the Mavelikkara branch of Canara Bank, first contacted the complainant over the phone.
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Sudhakaran said that the complainant's loan account had been overdrafted to the tune of Rs 1.40 crore and that there had been irregularities in the audit and it would have to be re-audited. Otherwise, he threatened to pay a bribe of Rs 6 lakh or else he would be declared a non-performing asset. As the bribe was not paid, he called several times on the phone and continued to threaten him.
The complainant then sent Rs 10,000 to Google Pay. A complaint was lodged with the vigilance after he repeatedly told him over the phone and threatened to deliver the remaining amount on the same day in-person, which subsequently led to the vigilance to set a trap and catch the accused red-handed.
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According to VACB officials, the arrest followed a complaint from a Kochi-based businessman operating an educational-skill development consultancy across Kerala. Sudhakaran had allegedly demanded ₹6 lakh to overlook purported irregularities in documents related to the complainant’s loan accounts. He warned that the discrepancies could lead to the classification of the accounts as non-performing assets (NPA) if reported.
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Officials confirmed that Sudhakaran is an RBI-listed concurrent auditor and receives payment from Canara Bank. VACB SP Sasidharan S stated that initial inquiries suggest this
may not be an isolated incident. A comprehensive investigation is currently underway.
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