Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Following detection of fraud and misappropriation of crores of rupees from farmers’ credit cards in Ujjain, several ryots staged a protest outside District Cooperative Bank on Friday.
Statements of several farmers’ credit cards showed misappropriation. While money was withdrawn from credit cards of two farmers even after their death, several farmers were puzzled to find dues running into lakhs of rupees despite having cleared the loan.
As per the case, Lekoda Seva Cooperative Society secretary Nishikant Chavan used to withdraw huge amounts but used to provide only a miniscule amount to the farmer concerned.
Farmers alleged that Chavan took out a loan which was four times more than the farmers’ loan. The matter came to light when farmers went to the bank to take loan and found out that they had pending dues.
Farmers demonstrated at Bharatpuri branch of the District Cooperative Bank over delay in filing an FIR and providing correct information to them.
Farmers alleged that Chavan was absconding after embezzling Rs 8 crore from 700 farmers. The farmers also gave an earful to bank MD Vishesh Shrivastava.
Farmer Saligram Sawant had died two years ago. However, Rs 2.99L was withdrawn from his account. Similarly, a loan of Rs 2 lakh was taken through the account of deceased Chintaman Patel.
Javasia farmer Suresh Patel was shocked to find Rs 45,761 as dues despite having deposited Rs 22,000 in 2022. His mother Leela Bai, who had cleared loan by paying Rs 25,000 in 2018, too had dus of Rs 50,211. Similarly, Manoj Patel, who had repaid his loan, was shocked to find another loan of Rs 95,000 against his name with total pending dues of Rs 2,34,241.
Sunil Patel, a resident of Lekoda, had two accounts and had taken Rs 71,000 loan from his first account and Rs 45,000 from the second. However, the first account showed pending dues of Rs 1,58,760 and the second showed dues of Rs 2, 95, 348.
As soon as the bank opened on Friday, farmers created a ruckus in Bharatpuri branch. They squatted at the main gate and raised slogans. Farmers alleged that along with the secretary, other bank employees were also involved in the fraud. They demanded that their dues be cleared after filing FIRs. Congress leaders Rajendra Vashishtha and Ajit Singh led the demonstrators.
