MUMBAI: Banks across the country have shown the increased trend in frauds in 2009-10 with the fraud amount crossing the ` 2000 mark and the number of rackets reported by the banks touching 24,797.

According to the Reserve Bank of India Annual Report for 2009-10, from a mere 13,914 fraud cases amounting to ` 1381 crore in 2005-06, the number of fraud cases last fiscal rose to 24,797 with the total amount involved being ` 2017 crore. In 2008-09, the number of cases reported were 23,914 with the amount involved being ` 1883 crore.
The report said of the total fraud cases, those cases in which the value of frauds was more than ` one crore numbered 225 last year with the amount lost being ` 1524 crore. The corresponding figures for the previous fiscal were 212 cases involving ` 1404 crore.
RBI said fraud monitoring mechanism in the central bank had so far been primarily based on criminal intention involving financial loss to the bank and undue gain to the perpetrators or fraudsters.
As per an internal review, the fraud will have to be defined in a non legal manner without putting exclusive emphasis on criminal intention being reason. The change in definition could lead to supervisory focus on serious wrongdoings which were apparently not the outcome of simple negligence.
RBI said banks, would have to continue to take necessary legal action in respect of frauds as before.