AMCs Rs. 16 Crore Cheque Fraud Still Untraced: Crime Branch Unable to Arrest Key Accused Amid Inter-State Police Non-Cooperation
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, January 12, 2026
More than three months after the exposure of the Rs.16 crore cheque fraud involving the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC), the siphoned public money remains untraced, highlighting serious lapses and growing concerns over the effectiveness of the investigation. Except for a single woman employee of UCO Bank, the Tripura Police Crime Branch has failed to arrest even one of the real accused, either from within the state or outside it.
Sources within the police department admit that the investigation has virtually stalled due to intense influential pressure exerted by influential individuals allegedly linked to the scam. As a result, the Crime Branch appears to have been left almost paralysed, unable to take decisive action against the prime accused, many of whom are described as politically well-connected and financially powerful.
The Economic Offences Wing of the Tripura Police’s Crime Branch has, on multiple occasions, sent teams to Nagpur, where several of the accused are reportedly based. However, each visit has ended in failure. According to a police sources, the Tripura Police returned empty-handed every time due to non-cooperation from the local police in Nagpur. Despite sharing inputs and leads, Tripura Police officers were allegedly denied logistical and operational support required to detain or question the suspects.
Investigators concede that without the active cooperation of police authorities in other states, especially Nagpur, it has become nearly impossible to proceed against the out-of-state accused. This lack of inter-state coordination has severely weakened the probe, even though substantial documentary and financial trail evidence is said to be available.
Within Tripura as well, the situation is no better. Several local suspects, including officials linked to UCO Bank and the Agartala Municipal Corporation, have been named during the course of the investigation. Yet, barring one woman bank employee, no arrests have been made so far. Police insiders acknowledge that attempts to summon or detain influential local figures were quietly dropped due to pressure from powerful quarters.
The disappearance of such a huge sum of public money without any meaningful recovery has raised serious questions about accountability and governance. The fact that the Rs.16 crore has neither been traced nor refunded to the Agartala Municipal Corporation has further intensified public suspicion. Equally troubling is the silence of both the municipal authorities and the bank management, neither of whom has taken visible legal or administrative steps to recover the funds. One
Senior Police official privately admit that the case has gone beyond the capacity of the state police. Many within the force believe that unless the investigation is handed over to a central agency like the Central Bureau of Investigation, there is little chance of exposing the full conspiracy or bringing the real culprits to justice.
As things stand, the AMC cheque scam has become a stark example of how political influence, administrative silence, and lack of inter-state cooperation can derail even a high-profile financial crime investigation. With Rs.16 crore of public money still missing and the main accused roaming free, public confidence in the system continues to erode, increasing pressure on the government to act decisively and transparently.
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