State Bank of India, 11 Parliament Street, New Delhi it was 1971… May 24 and day was Monday…. Exactly 54 years ago, a bank scam was shaken by using the voice of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in this bank. This scam is notorious as ‘Nagarwala Scam’ in the history of banking fraud and its echo is still heard sometimes in the Parliament House. The recently published book ‘The Scam That Shuk The Nation’ describes the incident of 24 May.
On May 24, the bank’s chief cashier Ved Prakash Malhotra was sitting comfortably on his chair, when the phone suddenly rang. As soon as Malhotra picked up the phone, his heart rate suddenly increased due to the sound from the other side. Malhotra, who has worked in a bank for 26 years, had never received such a call and he did not even know that this phone call would reverse his life. On May 24, 1971 at 11:45 am, Malhotra picked up the phone, greeted and came from the other side, “Sir Haksar, Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, wants to talk to you.”
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’60 lakh rupees required for confidential work’
Malhotra said, “Say.” After this, a person who described himself as Haksar and said to Malhotra, “The Prime Minister of India needs 60 lakh rupees for some confidential work. He will send his man to you and you can give him money.” Head cashier Malhotra asked Huxar whether the money would be given by check or from the receipt. They were told that this is a very important and confidential work. This is the order of the Prime Minister. The receipt or check will be issued later.
‘I am speaking Indira Gandhi…’
After this, the alleged thief told Malhotra where and how the money would be received. But Malhotra had never had to face such a situation before. He stuttered, “This is a very difficult task.” To this Haksar said, “So you should talk to the Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi.” After a few moments, Malhotra heard a well-known voice on the phone, “I am the Prime Minister of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, India.” Malhotra could not believe his ears that he was talking to Indira Gandhi. He later also said in his testimony that he became ‘enchanted’ after hearing the voice of Indira Gandhi. The voice from the other side came directly to the issue, “As my secretary has told you, I need a very important and confidential work in Bangladesh immediately.
Nagarwala is a retired army captain.
Malhotra was now completely convinced that on the other side of the phone is the Prime Minister of India. The Nagarwala scam has been investigated in detail in the book ‘The Scam That Shuk The Nation’ written by journalists Prakash Patra and Rashid Kidwai. The story of this book revolves around the scam, the mastermind of the scam, a retired captain of the Indian Army, Rustom Sohrab Nagarwala, who carried out the scam in 1971. Within a few hours of the incident, Nagarwala was arrested at the airport and most of the stolen amounts were recovered. In the first chapter ‘Loot’ of the book, an interesting description of the events of that day is given in the words of Head Cashier Malhotra.
Malhotra says that when he was convinced that he was Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he felt some relief. But he said, “How can I know that man?” On this question, he was told from the other side that, “That man will talk to you in code word and say,” I am Babu of Bangladesh “and you will reply,” I am bar at law. ” Earlier, Huxar had explained to Malhotra, “Take this money to the free church, as it is to be sent to Bangladesh by Air Force aircraft.” He said, “This work should be done immediately and it is very important to anyone.
Money was withdrawn with the help of two junior cashier.
Along with this, in the first case, it has been told how Malhotra along with his two junior cashiers took out this amount from the bank’s strong room and reached the place mentioned by keeping the ambassador of the bank in the trunk of the car. In his statement to the police, Malhotra later said, “A long, blonde man, wearing a light green hat, came to me and said a code word and then said,” Let’s go. “According to Malhotra, after reaching the Panchsheel Marg intersection, after reaching the Panchsheel Marg intersection, the man said that he wants to hold the Air Force plane and take a taxi from there. He told Malhotra, “You go directly to the Prime Minister’s residence.”
Nagarwala arrested from Delhi Airport
Malhotra wrote the number of his rental taxi, DLT 1622, and rode in the ambassador and walked towards the Prime Minister’s residence. Now he wanted to take a receipt from the Prime Minister. This book throws light on various angles on the Nagarwala incident. A complaint was lodged at Chanakyapuri police station as soon as the fraud was revealed and SHO Haridev immediately took action and arrested Nagarwala from Delhi Airport. Nagarwala was later sentenced to four years in jail but died suddenly due to a heart attack in Tihar Jail. Investigating officer DK Kashyap also died after some time.
