A major scam to the tune of several lakhs has come to the fore in the Consumer Society of South-East Central Railway. Sadar police have registered a case of cheating against 17 members including the then president of the society. Among the accused included , Arun M. Faley, K. Subramaniam, V. Lakshmi Naidu, Bhishan Gajbhiye, Suresh Jambhulkar, Dada Ambade, Trishan Sahare, Pawan Khade Patil, Harishchandra Dhowre, Mohansinh Nagpure, Ghulam Abbas, V.V. Pathak, R. Ganesh, Shivshankar Paunikar, R.B. Aapotikar, Pradeep Kamble and D.R. Meshram .
In 1991 the Railway Consumer Co-operative Society, South-East Central Railway was established. The employees of SECR were the members of this society. According to police sources, 750 members of the society had taken a personal loan from Syndicate Bank’s Gaddigodam branch in 2005. Each member had taken loan according to his needs. As per terms and conditions, the installment of the loan was supposed to be deducted from the salary of the members. This installment was to be deposited from the wage account to the Society’s account. The society then had to pay the installment of the loan to the bank. Complainant retired clerk Ragholalji Indurkar took a loan of ₹30000. The amount of installment was deposited in the Society’s account. After the payment of all installments, the Society had also issued a letter of ‘No dues’ to Indurkar.
On July 16, 2013, the Syndicate Bank issued a notice stating that he had outstanding due of ₹61,549. He went to the Society’s office and inquired. Later, Indurkar gave information to other colleagues who took the loan. After this many people came to know that the society did not deposit the amount of their installment in the bank. The victims lodged a complaint in Sadar police station. With the case being outdated and intriguing, Sadar Police conducted a detailed investigation. Cops investigated officials of the banks, railways and other government departments. Based on this, a case of fraud has been registered against the accused.
As per the sources, the accused deducted installment from the salary accounts of the borrowers, but did not submit it to Syndicate Bank. According to the lender the outstanding due is around ₹12 crore. The bank had issued loan to 750 people of which cases of 250 people were resolved while 500 cases are pending. Most of the accused have retired after the case cup unearthed. The accused also closed the Society’s office and also sealed the money of the thugs. At present, 8 to 10 victims have come to the Sadar police. Their numbers are expected to grow.
