On Tuesday, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) launched a "special drive" against bank fraudsters across the country and registered 14 separate cases involving Rs 640 crore of siphoned funds, a PTI report said. Citing senior officials it also said that the CBI will be carrying out coordinated searches at 50 locations in 18 cities. The search operation is still on.

The agency teams swooped down at different locations including Delhi, Mumbai, Ludhiana, Thane, Valsad, Pune, Surat, Kolar, Gurugram, Chandigarh and Bhopal, in coordinated action against the promoters and directors of the companies accused in the cases.

The companies facing action include Mumbai-based Winsome group linked to absconding diamond merchant Jatin Mehta and Tayal group's Eskay Knit, Delhi-based Naftogaz and SL Consumer Products Limited and Punjab-based International Mega Food Park Ltd and Supreme Tex Mart, the report said.

The special drive that began on Tuesday, is an action relating to bank frauds or scams across the country. Search drives will be conducted at 50 locations across 18 cities in 12 states/union territories.