Maharashtra has topped the list in fraudulent withdrawal of money from banks through Internet banking, with 85 incidents in the last four years involving over Rs 1.65 crore (Rs 16.5 million).

Maharashtra was followed by Delhi with 33 cases from April 2005 to September 2008 and the money involved was little over Rs 47 lakhs (Rs 4.7 million), minister of state for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

"As per the guidelines issued by Reserve Bank of India [Get Quote], banks are required to report the matter to police/CBI and further appropriate action is taken against the culprits," Bansal said.

In the current fiscal till September this year, 66 cases have been reported in the country where the money involved is more than Rs 100,000 while 46 incidents have come to notice where amount involved was less than Rs 100,000.

RBI has issued detailed guidelines and cautioning circulars to commercial banks so that adequate safeguards could be taken by them to prevent fraudulent encashment of fake/forged/stolen instruments.

In a written reply to another question, S S Palanimanickam, minister of state for finance, said 56 cases have been taken up for investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 by the directorate of enforcement, an agency which investigates into economic offences.

Investigation has been completed in two cases and complaints have been filed before the designated special courts.

"Investigations are in progress in respect of the remaining 54 cases. As an outcome of investigation conducted so far, tainted assets/proceeds of crime worth Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million) have been attached in eight cases," he said.