A co-operative society’s mini bank at Palei area allegedly duped its depositors of over Rs50 lakh.
According to sources, the Palei Service Cooperative Society (Palei Seba Samabaya Samiti) limited Mini Bank has been functioning under the control of Cuttack Central Co-operative Bank limited, Chandol branch since 1959 at Adhanga Mallikeswarpur under Derabish block. It has saving accounts of as many as 2,806 persons in the locality.
Recently, an account holder Kabita Sahu of Puripada sent her son with her passbook to withdraw money from her account. But to the surprise, though she earlier deposited a sum of Rs21,117 in her account, in the bank ledger, only Rs1,117 was available. As a result, her son returned empty handed suspecting his mother’s money had been duped.
When the matter spread in the locality, the investors allegedly on Friday went to the bank to verify their accounts. Several investors later found that their hard earned money had been duped.
Prahallad Nayak, bearing pass book account no-715, alleged that though he had deposited Rs82,360, the bank ledger shows it to be just Rs32,360. When he asked about his money, the officials failed to give satisfactory answer.
Similarly, Uchhab Parida, bearing pass book account no-985, alleged that he had deposited Rs1.55 lakh but during the passbook verification he unearthed that Rs1lakh was missing. Rs55,000 had been bungled.
Several depositors complained of their money having been misappropriated. About Rs10 lakh was duped from the accounts of 30 depositors.
The account holders demanded before the district administration to conduct a probe and take stern action against the errant officials.
When contacted, Cuttack Central Co-operative Bank, Chandol Manager Haladhar Mohanty stated that the matter was being probed.