PA Sangma’s cell phone number used for cheating a bank employee

Former Lok Sabha PA Sangma's cell number was allegedly used to cheat a bank employee and extract money from him in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district, police said today.

Superintendent of police Dalton Marak said, "A case was registered yesterday under various sections of cheating and forgery. Investigation is underway to nab the culprit."

Sangma's personal assistant filed an FIR on Saturday alleging that a man had sought Rs25,000 in January from Shyangtho Salgira D Sangma, an employee of the Tura branch of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank, "using the cell number of local MLA of Tura constituency PA Sangma".

The caller had said it was a loan being asked of the bank employee on his personal capacity and he would pay back Rs50,000.

The victim recognised the phone number of PA Sangma and thought the caller must be close to him, police said.

He deposited the money in the account number provided by the caller in three instalments - Rs10,000 on January 4, Rs10,000 on January 5, and Rs5,000 on January 7.

It was only after the employee returned from an official training that he became suspicious as the money was not repaid as assured by the caller.

The fraud came to light when the victim's wife met PA Sangma to get back the money. Only then he realised that someone had used his cell number which, according to Sangma's assistant, was no longer used by him.

The former Lok Sabha speaker then asked the assistant to lodge an FIR with the police.