AIIMS duped of Rs 12 cr as fraudsters withdraw money using 'cloned cheques'

The money was illegally withdrawn from the AIIMS' accounts in the State Bank of India at its non-home branches in other cities

Over Rs 12 crore have been siphoned off from two bank accounts of the country's premier healthcare institute AIIMS here by fraudsters by allegedly using "cloned cheques" over the past one month, official sources said.

The money was illegally withdrawn from the AIIMS' accounts in the State Bank of India (SBI) at its non-home branches in other cities, the sources told PTI.

Even after the fraud came to light, the culprits made attempts to siphon off over Rs 29 crore allegedly using the cloned cheques in SBI's non-home branches located in Dehradun and Mumbai in the last one week.

However, the attempts were foiled.

The hospital administration has already approached the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police seeking an investigation into the scam.

According to an official, the cheques presented by the fraudsters at SBI's branches passed Ultra Violet Ray tests and the original cheque leaves with same series were still in the possession of the institute, the AIIMS said in a report to the health ministry.

It said the SBI has failed to follow verification protocol while clearing cheques at non-home branches and asked the bank to deposit the stolen amount.