Coop. bank scam: ED registers case
[ad_1]
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case in connection with the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank multi-crore loan scam.
The case has been registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against the six accused mentioned in the first information report filed by the State police. They include T.R. Sunil Kumar, former bank secretary; Biju Karim, former manager; Jilse C.K., former accountant; and others including Reji Anilkumar, Kiran, and Bejoy A.K. The preliminary investigation by the Central agency revealed fraud to the tune of nearly ₹200 crore through fake bank accounts and benami deals. It was also found that black money from abroad was routed through the bank.
CB issues lookout notice
The Crime Branch had issued a lookout notice for the accused two days ago. The Thrissur District Sessions Court will consider the anticipatory bail plea of Biju Karim, Reji Anilkumar, Kiran, and C.K. Jilse on August 10. The CPI(M) had come under attack for not taking action despite getting information on the scam led by the party-led director board. The district committee suspended four members, including K.K. Divakaran, former president of the director board, from the party.
Meanwhile, a voice clip that hints that the party knew about the bank fraud has emerged. The voice clip is of a party meeting discussing the bank fraud. A meeting of the CPI(M)’s Madayikonam branch in 2018 had discussed the loan fraud at the cooperative bank. Porathissery local committee secretary Raju raised the issue at the meeting in the presence of the president of the bank director board. In the voice clip, which is circulating in the media now, the president is denying his role in the fraud. The meeting had criticised irregularities in allotting loans, including benami loans. The meeting was held when a woman board member of the bank, who went to recover a loan, was locked up by a family.
(With inputs from Thrissur bureau)
[ad_2]
