New Delhi, Mar 23 (IANS): The CBI on Tuesday said that it has arrested CGST Inspector Swapnil Mondal, posted in Tripura's Agartala, in connection with cloning of 53 cheques of Madhya Pradesh's Bargi Division Project and then withdrawing Rs 4.09 crore from the government account.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case on the request of Madhya Pradesh government and orders from the Union Home Ministry following the alleged Rs 4.09 crore fraud from the government account of the land acquisition officer of the Bargi Diversion Project of Madhya Pradesh's Katni through the cloned cheques.

A case was earlier registered by MP Police.

It was alleged in the FIR that the proceeds of the cheques had gone to Kolkata-based bank accounts which were opened in fake names by using forged and false KYC documents and the amounts were subsequently withdrawn from these accounts through ATMs or transfers.

In the FIR, it was said that the real identity of the perpetrators who fraudulently withdrew money by forging the signature of the land acquisition officer through 53 cloned cheques and diverted the amount to several Kolkata-based bank accounts, opened in fake names was not known.

"After strenuous efforts, it was found that Mondal had allegedly opened two bank accounts in Kolkata branches of United Bank of India and Allahabad Bank in the name of a private firm or proprietor by using forged KYC documents such as Voter ID and PAN card," the official said.

Mondal had allegedly affixed his photographs in the account opening forms as well as in the KYC documents.

The CBI official said that a sum of Rs 2.16 lakh out of defrauded amount of Rs 4.09 crore, had finally landed up in the accounts which were opened by the said accused and he had withdrawn the amount through ATMs.

Mondal was produced before a court, which sent him to police custody till March 31.