Hyderabad, November 10: A manager of BNP Paribas bank, who is a witness in the `7,000-crore Satyam Computers accounting fraud, told the XXI additional chief metropolitan magistrate today that former Satyam chairman B Ramalinga Raju and other accomplices in the fraud had created several fake documents pertaining to their bank.
Ramalinga Raju is all set to surrender in the court tomorrow.
CBI officials produced A Sebasian, the branch manager of BNP Paribas, Hyderabad, as the second witness and his statement was recorded by the magistrate. Sebasian informed the court that Satyam Computers had five bank accounts in BNP Paribas, Hyderabad and operated in different currencies – rupees, dollars and euros.
CBI’s special counsel K Surender produced several alleged fake bank documents created by the accused, which were recovered from Pricewaterhouse Coopers. During investigation, the CBI found several documents of BNP Paribas and approached the bank officials to certify their genuineness.
The bank authorities found that several of the documents, including current account balance statements and letter heads, were fake.
Sebasian said a letter head with Mumbai address of BNP Paribas was given to him by CBI officials for verification. The letter head contained the e-mail Id of a former chief executive officer of the bank.
“But the said CEO had left our bank in 2002. We also compared our bank records with the bank balance mentioned in the document and found that there was a mismatch,” he said. Sebasian said it was the bank’s policy to issue signed documents.
“But the signatures on these documents do not match that of our officials.” The defence counsel took objection and informed the magistrate that several of the documents produced as evidence by the CBI were purportedly verified and certified by BNP Paribas, Mumbai branch. “How can a branch manager in Hyderabad be a witness to the verifications and certifications given by the bank’s Mumbai officials?” he asked and wanted the concerned officials in Mumbai to be made witnesses.
As a result, the cross examination of Sebasian did not take place.
The magistrate wanted the CBI to produce the concerned official from BNP Paribas, Mumbai by November 22 for conducting the cross examination of both the witnesses.
When serious arguments were going on about the need for the another witness from Mumbai, former managing director of Satyam Computers B Rama Raju was seen dozing off in the witness box.
Vadlamani Srinivas, the former chief financial officer (CFO) of Satyam Computers, followed the proceedings keenly by standing behind his counsels. Occasionally, he was seen having a word with some of the students who were taking notes of the proceedings in the court.
Earlier in the day, Ramalinga Raju made a quick appearance in the Court and left.
–Agencies