Indian Cricketer Naman Ojha’s Father Sentenced to 7 Years for Bank Fraud
Vinay Ojha, father of cricketer Naman Ojha, involved in a ₹1.25 crore embezzlement case, also fined ₹7 lakh by court
BNH NETWORK
Indore - Vinay Ojha, father of Indian cricketer Naman Ojha, has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for his involvement in a ₹1.25 crore embezzlement case at the Bank of Maharashtra. The fraud, which took place in 2013 at the bank’s Joulkheda branch in Madhya Pradesh, led to Ojha being convicted along with three other individuals.
Ojha, who was serving as the Assistant Manager at the time, was also fined ₹7 lakh by the court. He was found guilty of conspiring with others to create fraudulent bank accounts and siphon off the funds.
The case, which began with the registration of an FIR against six individuals in 2013, saw significant delays in its resolution. After years of investigation, Abhishek Ratanam, who masterminded the fraud, was sentenced to 10 years in prison along with an ₹80 lakh fine. Two other accomplices, Dhanraj Pawar and Lakhan Hingwe, were sentenced to 7 years in jail and also fined ₹7 lakh each.
The embezzlement was carried out through the creation of fake accounts, with the culprits using bank employees’ credentials to facilitate the fraud. Investigations revealed that Vinay Ojha was directly involved in the crime. However, Nilesh Chatrole, the trainee branch manager whose ID and password were misused during the fraud, was not found guilty.
The investigation process took over a decade, with several witnesses, including cashier Dinanath Rathod, passing away during the course of the case. Despite the lengthy legal proceedings, the court’s verdict brings a conclusion to the long-running case of financial misconduct involving the cricketer’s father.
