Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Oct 22: Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank (JSCB) has left Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank behind in terms of amount involved in scams plaguing the two banks. The balance sheet of JSCB has revealed a loss to the tune of Rs 300 crore suffered by the bank and also removed the veil from a scam worth over Rs 500 crore. The revelation sent a panic wave across the bank account holders who withdrew their deposits. It has also deprived the government and its various departments of their peace of mind.
Interestingly, earlier, RBI and the Banking Ombudsman had directed an investigation into irregular financial transactions committed in Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank and imposed a penalty of Rs 14.40 lakh. NABARD is also helping in the investigation. Chief Minister Raghubar Das had given the go ahead for a CBI probe into the scam after he received a 300-page probe report from Registrar, Cooperative Societies.
Sources claimed that JUDCO had withdrawn Rs 280 crore from the Ranchi branch of JSCB and transferred it to other bank. BHEJFED, IPDP and land acquisition department also withdrew Rs 100 crore from the bank. Hundreds of bank account holders too, withdrew their money. In view of the current panicky situation, BK Choudhary, CEO of JSCB, convened a meeting of various societies and bank account holders at Bistupur branch for damage control. He however could not answer questions related to losses worth several thousand crores as shown in the balance sheet, scam and NPAs.
