L-G tells police to probe bank ‘scam’

NEW DELHI: Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Thursday directed the Delhi police to probe irregularities i n the Delhi Nagarik Sehkari Bank related to the disbursal of cooperative bank loans.

In a press statement, the L-G office said that around 40 appointments, which were under the scanner, for the irregularities have also been can- celled. A spokesperson said that the L-G has asked the Reserve Bank of India to inquire into the matter and probe if there are any financial irregularities in the functioning of the bank and ‘take corrective action if required’.

The bank comes under the Delhi government’s registrar of cooperative societies. The Delhi Assembly had recently served a privilege notice to the chief secretary for non-appearance before the Question and Reference Committee of the Delhi Assembly, which is probing the alleged ₹100-crore scam in the cooperative bank. Chief secretary Anshu Prakash was summoned by the committee to know what action the senior bureaucrat had taken on the alleged irregularities.

The alleged irregularities came to light in 2013 when some members of the bank filed a complaint to the registrar of cooperative societies and the RBI, alleging fraudulent loans had led to increasing non-performing assests (NPAS). The NPAS of Lajpat Nagar and Karawal Nagar branches of the bank had reached 57% and 53%, respectively.

A Delhi police officer said the economic offences wing, which deals with white collar crimes, will probe the fraud.

“Already 40 appointments made by direct recruitment have been cancelled and promotion of 62 employees of Bank has been set aside,” said a L-G house spokesperson.