The Ganjam District Collector is likely to face a legal case for his alleged tacit support to the State Bank of India in ‘forcibly’ vacating a man from his mortgaged house in the city.
According to information, Paban Kumar Sahu, owner of the Ganapati Sahu and Sons, a business house located at Chandrama Street under the Bada Bazar Police Station, has filed a case (ICC No 503/2015 and Registered No 1439/2015) in the SDJM Court, Brahmapur though High Court lawyer Biranchi Narayan Mahapatra against district Collector Prem Chandra Choudhury, Additional Tehsildar, Brahmapur Sasanka Sekhar Patra, 13 officers of the SBI and other financial institutions under Sections 166, 188, 426, 409, 406, 427, 418, 420, 120 (B), 200, 202 and 34 of IPC for taking forceful possession of his house.
Admitting the case, the SDJM Court has forwarded the case to the IIC, Big Bazar Police Station for investigation. In its letter, the Court said, “In my view, investigation by the police can better serve the interest of justice…”
The court directed the IIC to investigate the case and submit report. The case is posted to January 19, 2016 for further orders, informed lawyer Mahapatra.
According to complainant Sahu, he had, in 2008, mortgaged his house and taken a loan from the SBI, Dhamnagar Branch, vide CC Account No- 30621633650 to expand his business. But the bank converted his CC account into a WCDl (Term loan Account) on August 29, 2013. Thus, his business was affected. Then Sahu urged bank officers to rectify/set right the mistake, but in vain.
With no other option in hand, the complainant approached the High Court under the WP (c): 17738 of 2014 praying to settle this loan matter through onetime settlement (OTS). But the OTS proposal was reportedly rejected by the bank authority. In the mean time, the bank authority initiated proceedings under the provision of SARFAESI Act, 2002.
Sahu said bank officers, at the behest of the district Collector, rushed to his house in Ward 12 all of a sudden on July 7, 2015 at 11 am and forcibly dragged him and his family members out and locked the house. It was all done without serving a prior notice, said Sahu.
Then he filed cases in different courts against the concerned bank officers. Now his is residing in another parental house at Chandrama Street of Brahmapur.
Then on November 1, 14 SBI officers against whom Sahu has filed a case, came to his present house at about 11.30 am and threatened him to withdraw all cases pending in different courts or else face dire consequences, Sahu mentioned in the petition. He too alleged that the officers had come to his house at the behest of the district Collector.
Sahu further stated that though he informed the IIC, Bada Bazar PS at about 12.30 pm on the day, the latter refused to receive his complaint.
With no other option left, Sahu lastly filed the case in the SDJM court on November 2, 2015 through counsel Mahapatra.