Crook who duped 5 banks of nearly 28 cr extradited from Germany

New Delhi, Aug 27 (UNI) Twelve years after he duped nearly half a dozen banks of nearly Rs 28 crore, Amarendra Nath Ghosh was finally extradited from Germany this morning.

Ghosh was brought back after a prolonged court battle over his several pleas against his extradition in German courts, according to the CBI.

''Request for his extradition, which was made on March 2, 2003, was granted on April 23, 2003 itself which he fought up to the constitutional court in Germany. However, it turned down his pleas and he was finally brought here today from Munich.'' Even after this, Ghosh swallowed a ten-cm-long knife and refused to undergo surgery in Germany, leading to further delay in his extradition. Later, German authorities agreed to hand him over to the CBI on condition that 'emergency' conditions were in place during transition.

The accused, in collusion with bank officials and others, duped the Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, United Bank of India and Andhra Bank (all in Kolkata) of Rs 27.69 crore between 1994-95.

Seven chargesheets were filed against him and others in four cases and Ghosh was declared a 'Proclaimed Offender' by an Alipore court in Kolkata on February 5, 2002.

An open non-bailable arrest warrant was also issued against him on May 3 the same year.

Later, on CBI's request, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against Ghosh on June 17, 2002 on which basis he was arrested by Interpol Wiesbaden, Germany, at Munich on December 15 the same year.

Ghosh is also wanted for offences in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. UNI AN KD VV1716