Former cricketer Naman Ojha's father sentenced to seven-year imprisonment in embezzlement case

The father of former Indian cricketer Naman Ojha, Vinay Ojha, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his involvement in the theft of INR 1.25 crore from the Bank of Maharashtra. This case, which dates back to 2013, also resulted in the conviction of three others, marking the conclusion of an 11-year-long legal battle.

The case was around a fraud at the Bank of Maharashtra’s Joulkheda branch in Betul, Madhya Pradesh. In 2013, INR 1.25 crore was tapped off using misleading methods, including the misuse of bank officials’ credentials.

Six individuals were initially implicated, including Vinay, who was the branch manager at the time. The scheme’s mastermind, Abhishek Ratnam, played a crucial role, orchestrating the fraud with the help of brokers and bank insiders. Public prosecutor Rajesh Sable mentioned that the misuse of passwords and IDs was central to the operation.

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On Tuesday, the Multai Additional Sessions Court delivered its verdict. Abhishek Ratnam received the harshest sentence of 10 years in prison and an INR 80 lakh fine. Vinay, for his involvement, was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined INR 7lakh. Two brokers, Dhanraj Pawar and Lakhan Hingwe, also received seven-year prison terms and similar fines.

Notably, trainee branch manager Nilesh Chatrole, whose ID and password were exploited without his knowledge, was acquitted of all charges. The sentencing of Vinay has drawn significant attention, partly due to his connection to his son, a former Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer.