Ex-Mysuru SBI manager jailed for siphoning Rs 40 lakh from dead man’s account

An ex-SBI manager from Mysuru has been sentenced to one year in jail for siphoning Rs 61.57 lakh from the account of a deceased customer and the bank's internal funds. Former chief manager Anirudh Vasantrao Kulkarni exploited his position at the bank's Chamundipuram branch between 2009 and 2011. The prosecution claims Kulkarni withdrew Rs 40.53 lakh from the deceased Krishna Iyer's account, and an additional Rs 21.04 lakh from a bank internal account, transferring a combined total of Rs 61.57 lakh into accounts belonging to himself and his son.

The fraud came to light in 2011 after an anonymous letter to SBI's vigilance department. The court held that Kulkarni's voluntary repayment after being caught does not absolve him of criminal liability. Despite his age, health issues, and lack of other criminal records, Kulkarni was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs 50,000 fine, ordered to pay an additional Rs 50,000 in compensation to the bank for litigation costs and losses.