₹100-crore scam: Coop society cheats hundreds in R’sthan

JAIPUR:A credit cooperative society in Jaisalmer cheated thousands of investors of their hard earned money amounting to around ₹100 crore. The investors are running from pillar to post to recover the money as the promoter, who has links to a political party, is absconding.

Surendra Singh Bhati, managing director of the Sai Kripa Credit Cooperative Society, is absconding for past 12 months. The credit society was set up in Jaisalmer around 10 years ago. Things were fine till 2015 and investors were regularly getting their dividends, says Vijayant Purohit, 24, who has formed a sangharsh samiti of investors who were cheated.

But from November 2015, things got shaky and the society started shutting its branches. In April 2016, Surendra Singh absconded. Since then the investors have met police officials, the SP, collector, Jaisalmer MLA Chhotu Bhati, Jaisalmer MP Col Sonaram seeking to speed up the investigation but without much success.

Purohit says so far 15 FIRs have been filed at the Sadar Thana police station against the company directors Surendra Singh Bhati, his brothers Dinesh Singh Bhati, and Ramchandra Bhati and Dinesh’s wife Pawan Kanwar, who was a member in the credit society.

“There are about 2000 people who have been defrauded but the police were not filing complaints initially. We then approached the court which directed the police to investigate the matter,” he said. “The police have clubbed several complaints under 11 FIRs. But they are delaying action as the family is politically influential,” said Purohit. Surendra Singh’s wife Usha is the Congress party’s pradhan from Sam, while his brother Dineshpal Singh is the former vice-president of the district Congress committee. Dinesh’s wife Pawan Kanwar was a member in the Sai Kripa society.

Ramchandra is chairman of the Mohan Kripa Credit Cooperative Society, which is registered in Delhi and has operations in several states. “It’s been 18 months since the fraud came to light. Surendra’s brothers Dinesh and Ramchandra and Pawan Kanwar are in Jaisalmer but the police have not even questioned them,” says Purohit.

Derawar Singh, the investigation officer, says the police are probing the case. “We are on the lookout for Surendra Singh. We have collected documents from his associates and family members. We will catch him soon,” he said. But that is of little comfort for hundreds of small investors who have lost their money.