Maharashtra: Bombay HC directs FIR in coop bank scam; Ajit Pawar among others may face heat

MUMBAI : The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) to register within five days a first information report in an embezzlement scam at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank.
Top politicians of NCP -- Ajit Pawar, Vijaysingh Mohite-Patil and Anand Adsul -- were among the directors who were accused of allegedly swindling the bank of thousands of crores.
A division bench of Justices Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari and Sandeep Shinde heard a public interest litigation (PIL) by activist Surinder Arora seeking a direction for an FIR by EOW in the case.
An audit report had revealed breach of various banking laws and RBI guidelines by the directors who had distributed various loans to their sugar factories, spinning mills and other units between 2005 and 2010 and defaulted on repayment and recovery.
In May 2011, the Reserve Bank of India appointed an administrator for the bank. In January 2018, the high court directed EOW to record Arora’s supplementary statement.
At the hearing last month, Arora’s advocate Satish Talekar told the court that thereafter nothing has been done. The court then summoned EOW DCP Shrikant Paropkar to the court hearing on July 31.
“Our query is not whether there is an offence. Have you registered an FIR?” asked the bench. It then reserved its verdict.
In the judgment, the bench said after perusing the chargesheet and inspection report of NABARD we will proceed, adding “For the reasons stated therein, as also the report of inquiries/inspection constitutes credible information and/or material which, prima facie, discloses the commission of cognisable offences punishable under Indian Penal Code and other penal laws and, therefore , we directed the EOW to register an FIR within 5 days from today."
They added, "Thereafter, all steps in accordance with law shall be taken uninfluenced by Paropkari's observations."