An ex-bank manager and four other people have been acquitted of graft charges mainly related to letters of credit (L/Cs) issued by a bank in the Indian city of Chandigarh.

It was 22-years ago that the authorities began their case against the former manager of Andhra Bank, Manjit Singh Vohra, and his alleged co-conspirators.

Accusations

The prosecution accused Vohra of misusing his official powers when he was working at the bank as its manager between 1986-87.

He allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with the directors of a chemical manufacturing company, Punjab Cellulous Limited. A business partner of the directors' was also charged as a co-conspirator.

Limits exceeded

Vohra was accused of cheating Andhra Bank by using his official powers to issue L/Cs worth more than the company's credit limit.

The bank manager was also accused of granting various other credit facilities in excess of limits set by his employer.

Head office approved

The defence, however, successfully pleaded that all the credit limits the prosecution said were exceeded on Vohra's say-so had, in fact, been approved orally by one of his senior manager's working at the bank's head office.

Charges were not framed against the accused until May 1996 and one of them, Amrik Singh, passed away during the trial.

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