Canara Bank Assistant Manager Steals Rs 1.6 Crore from His Own Branch, Scooter Leads to Arrest

Monday morning at Canara Bank’s Chikhla branch in Sitasawangi, Bhandara, started like any other day, but employees were met with a shocking scene: the strongroom had been broken into and Rs 1.58 crore was missing. What initially seemed like a standard burglary soon revealed a more startling truth—the thief was no outsider, but the branch’s 32-year-old assistant manager, Mayur Nepale. Reports suggest Nepale carried out the robbery to repay mounting debts from online gambling.

Nepale, a resident of Nagpur and a UPSC aspirant, reportedly executed the heist alone. Using his insider knowledge, he meticulously planned each step, studying past bank robberies and online tutorials to stage the crime as an ordinary break-in. However, his plan was undone by a CCTV camera outside the bank, which clearly recorded him arriving on a scooter with empty bags and leaving with them full.

Execution of the Heist

Investigators found that Nepale had disabled security cameras, cut power lines, used duplicate keys, and wiped off fingerprints. To avoid detection, he attempted to conceal his body odor and wore a cap to hide his face. He also tried to make the theft appear as a forced entry by breaking the channel gate and shutter lock.

Officials suspect that Nepale may have been inspired by a massive Rs 58 crore gold heist carried out earlier this year by a senior Karnataka bank official. In addition, he supplemented his planning with tips from online tutorials. His opportunity was further enhanced by a recent request he made to the RBI for Rs 85 lakh in cash, claiming it was needed for emergencies. This unusually large cash stock made the branch an even more tempting target.

The night before the robbery, Nepale purchased four bags in Nagpur. In the early hours of November 18, he traveled to the branch, broke the locks, accessed the strongroom with his keys, removed the DVR and cameras, and emptied the cash chests. The crime came to light when staff opened the bank the next morning and informed the Gobarwahi police.

Suspicion of Insider Involvement

Nepale’s sudden leave on November 17, which he said was for a training session in Nagpur, immediately drew attention. He returned on the same scooter caught on CCTV, pretending to cooperate with the investigation. Police noted that only an insider could know the precise positions of cameras and keys, which confirmed suspicions that the theft was an internal job.

Confession and Recovery

A search of Nepale’s wife’s residence in Nagpur by Bhandara LCB, led by Senior Inspector Vivek Sonavane, eventually led to his confession after initial denials. Police recovered Rs 96.12 lakh in cash, a Tata Nexon car used to transport the stolen money, the scooter, a Redmi phone, and DVR equipment worth Rs 1.07 crore.

Nepale’s Debts

Investigations revealed that Nepale owed over Rs 80 lakh, broken down as follows:

• Rs 30 lakh lost in online gambling
• Rs 12 lakh personal loan
• Rs 8.5 lakh car loan
• Rs 3.5 lakh education loan
• Rs 3 lakh Paytm loan
• Rs 20 lakh from private lenders

Faced with these debts and a desire to continue gambling, Nepale allegedly resorted to stealing from the bank where he worked.

Nepale has been charged with theft, criminal breach of trust, and destruction of evidence. Authorities plan to report serious procedural lapses to the RBI and recommend cloud-based CCTV systems to prevent similar insider crimes in the future.