SHILLONG, Feb 4: A sum of Rs 1.46 crore mysteriously vanished from a joint savings account with the State Bank of India (SBI). This incident was reported from Williamnagar, East Garo Hills, after a woman filed an FIR over the money disappearing from her account in SBI Williamnagar branch
The complainant, Retmilla Rongdeng Sangma, suspects that bank officials were involved in the scam, with a contractual bank employee, Easter Momin, allegedly playing a central role in the fraud.
Sangma and her sons had opened joint savings accounts at SBI branches in Williamnagar and Nongalbibra, trusting the bank to keep their hard-earned money safe. However, on November 14, 2024, they discovered that their savings had disappeared. When they checked their bank statements, they found that the money had been systematically siphoned off between June 22, 2023, and November 14, 2024.
According to the FIR filed with Williamnagar police station, the money was withdrawn through cheques and online transfers, mostly into the personal account of Easter Momin, a bank clerk. What’s more alarming is that the complainant’s mobile number and address linked to the account were changed without their knowledge — both were allegedly altered to match Easter Momin’s details.
Further investigation by the complainant revealed that the signatures on the withdrawal cheques did not match their original bank records, raising serious concerns about how such transactions were approved.
After discovering the fraud, the complainant sent multiple letters to SBI officials, including a legal notice on December 16, 2024, demanding the return of their money. However, the bank failed to take any concrete action and only responded with a vague assurance that an internal investigation was under way.
SBI officials later admitted that fraudulent transactions had occurred and even obtained a confession from Easter Momin, agreeing to his involvement in the scam. However, the complainant alleges that no serious steps have been taken to compensate them or hold those responsible accountable.
