Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Oct 29: Ex manager of Vijaya Bank, Konaje branch, Mahabal Marla, clerk, Mohan Alva, and alleged middleman, Mohammed alias Petrol Mohammed, are behind the bars relating to their alleged fraud. They have been accused of granting loans to customers without proper documents and papers. The fraud now threatens to expand its tentacles and a number of people who had availed loans from the bank face the prospect of being incarcerated.
Some say that fake documents were created for facilitating sanction of loan amounts in excess of eligibility as per bank criteria, and the above three persons pocketed commission for the same. It is claimed that many borrowers had availed loans without being aware of the fact that the same were based on fake documents. These persons now fear action against them. Many of these borrowers now claim that they were inadvertent of the fact that loans were being given to them based on fake papers. They reportedly came to know about the fraud only after they were visited by policemen, who are investigating the case.
The immediate-past manager of the above branch faces the charge of granting loans amounting to over two crore rupees between 2007 and 2009 on the basis of fake documents. Mohan Alva and Mohammed are accused of being hand in glove in these transactions. The borrowers say that they had observed that those who approached the bank for loans through Mohammed got loans easily. It is said that Mohammed collected commission for these loan transactions, which was later shared by the threesome. The borrowers say that the bank manager used to decline their loan proposals when they approached the bank directly, and because of this, they got the loans through Mohammed by paying commission. The borrowers say that they have been repaying their loans regularly, but are concerned about harassment by the policemen in the name of investigation into the above fraud.
Three borrowers from Konaje region who availed of loans through Petrol Mohammed were recently taken into custody by policemen at midnight. It is gathered that one of the arrested men had fully cleared his loan liability. Now the arrested borrowers are trying to secure bail. The other 46 borrowers including women, and those who provided guarantee for loan repayment, now apprehend trouble.
A delegation led by MLA, U T Khader, and comprising Bantwal taluk panchayat former vice president, Ummer Pajeer, Santosh Shetty Asaigoly, district youth Congress president, Mithun Rai and others, met city police commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh, in this respect recently. Khader said that he has requested the commissioner not to arrest the borrowers who have been repaying their loans promptly. He said Singh has reacted positively to his request. He revealed that the bank will also be asked to give time to the borrowers to provide proper documents relating to these loans.