CBI finds India’s biggest bank fraud of Rs 22,842 cr, books ABG Shipyard and its directors

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against ABG Shipyard Ltd and its directors, including chairman and managing director Rishi Kamlesh Agarwal, in what could be the biggest bank fraud case in the history of India. ABG Shipyard, one of the most prominent private sector shipping firms, was on Saturday booked for allegedly defrauding 28 banks to the tune of ₹22,842 crore. This consortium was led by ICICI Bank. Of this, ABG Shipyard owes Rs. 7,089 crore to ICICI Bank, Rs. 3,639 crore to IDBI Bank, Rs. 2,925 crore to State Bank, Rs. 1,614 crore to Bank of Baroda, and Rs. 1,244 crore to Punjab National Bank, among others.

This is the biggest bank fraud case ever registered by the CBI. The case pertained to funds gotten and misused during the 2012-17 period. Rishi Agarwal, the then CMD of ABG Shipyard has been named in the FIR.

Besides Agarwal, the agency has also named the then executive director Santhanam Muthaswamy, directors Ashwini Kumar, Sushil Kumar Agarwal and Ravi Vimal Nevetia and another company ABG International Pvt Ltd for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust and abuse of official position under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act,

The Funds given by these banks were used by the executives of ABG Shipyard for purposes other than for which they were given and they were engaged in diversion of funds, misappropriation and criminal breach of trust. The same has been revealed in a report submitted by M/s. Ernst & Young LP.