Balasore: Depositors allege embezzlement of money from their accounts, watch
The farmers complained that money was debited from their account without their knowledge
Balasore: Many depositors of the Baniadiha Seva Samabaya Samiti in Baliapala Block of Balasore district in Odisha has alleged embezzlement of money. They complained that money was debited from their account without their knowledge.
It is alleged that more than one and half crore rupees were embezzled from the deposit accounts of farmers of the mini bank under Baniadiha Samavaya Samiti. This irregularity has been witnessed while money has been taken from the accounts of more than 2 thousand depositors. The farmers/ depositors are in shock after finding out that there is no money in their account.
This Baniadiha seva samabaya Samiti is in the Langaleshwar village of Baliapala in Balasore distict. The samiti was established in 1969 as farmers of this area harvest well. The samiti has been formed by the farmers of Kunduli and Baniadiha panchayats under Baliapal block.
There are 2500 members, 15 board directors and 3,500 depositors of the samiti. It has been complained that out of them money has been looted from accounts of more than one thousand farmers of this mini bank.
The former secretary, present secretary and staff of Seva Samabha Samiti together have been accused of embezzling this money. Farmers shocked to know that their money has gone missing.
Farmer Sumati Barik and her husband Sudhakar Barik from Ganja village have a joint account in this bank with passbook ID No.1770, Account No. 1056 and Ledger Folio No. 26/44. They had deposited Rs 2 lakh 37 thousand and 350 rupees in their account. They have also the receipts against deposit of this money. However, for the marriage of their daughter, when they went to withdraw money, they found that about Rs 1 lakh was available in their account. As they complained, the secretary allegedly said that there is no money showing in their ledger as per their claim.
They were shocked to hear this. In order to withdraw their hard-earned money, they repeatedly went to the bank but as it could not happen the marriage of their daughter was cancelled.
Similarly, there is a joint account of farmer Paramananda Patra and wife Shailabala Patra in this mini bank. The passbook account number is 32, Ledger folio number is 24/67. Since 2014, they have been depositing for their son’s education and daughter’s marriage. They have all the receipts against the deposits. They had deposited Rs 11 lakh 34 thousand 739. But now Rs 1 lakh 23 thousand is there in the account. When they asked about it, the secretary and staff of the Samiti allegedly misbehaved.
Like this there are many other victims whose money has been loote from their accounts. They are Jagatjivan Das, Gajendra Pattayat, Ratnakar Behera of Langaleswara.
The life of the victim farmers/ depositors have become miserable. All of them have complained that the bank is denying to pay. Accordingly, they have complained the matter with the concerned authorities but yet to get back their money.
The state government has facilitated to provide Rs 1 lakh loan to the farmers without any interest. However, it has been alleged that the secretaries and staff have registered their relatives as beneficiaries who are not eligible and thus the real farmers are deprived of getting loan without interest. Hence they are forced to take private loan with high interest.
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Ms Kalinga