Loans withdrawn with duplicate licenses: Women vendors

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IMPHAL, June 2: A total of Rs 44,80,000 has been withdrawn as loans from the Imphal Urban Cooperative Bank by using duplicate licences made by replacing photographs and names of the original licenses issued by Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) to the women vendors of Purana Bazar, New Market and Luxmi Bazar.

This was alleged by Laishram (O) Lakshmi, secretary of the Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup (Khwairamband Keithel) in a press conference held at Manipur Press Club here today. She further appealed to the government to investigate into the matter.

The said loans were sanctioned from the Head Office of Imphal Urban Co-operative Bank at MG Avenue and its branches at BT Road and Paona Bazar.

She said there is a rule that a vendor cannot take loan if she does not complete 3 years in the business.

However, a total 331 applicants took the loans breaking the rule and by using duplicate licenses made by using the same license number of the original ones replaced with their photographs and names.

A total loan amount of Rs 16,90,000 and a grant of Rs 1 lakh was withdrawn from the mentioned bank by using duplicate licences made by copying original licenses of vendors of Luxmi Bazar with one Kongbrailakpam (o) Pakpi Devi wife of Dijamani Sharma of Khurai Puthiba as the guarantor, she pointed out saying that this information was procured through RTI application filed to the IMC.

Lakshmi also alleged that a total loan amount of Rs 13,65,000 and a grant of Rs 1 lakh was withdrawn in case of Purana Bazar by using duplicate licenses with one Khagenbam (o) Rani wife of Kh Khaka of Kakwa Lilando Lampak as the guarantor.

In case of New Market, a total loan amount of Rs 14,25,000 and a grant of Rs 1 lakh was withdrawn using the same process mentioned above with one Shanti as the guarantor, she alleged and demanded on who else are involved in this “foul game”.

She then appealed to the concerned authorities to award punishment under the law to whosoever involved in the act, whether it may be the bank personnel or the representatives of the three cooperative societies limited namely Purana Bazar Ima Keithel Multi Vendor Cooperative Society Limited, Luxmi Bazar Ima Keithel Multi Vendor Cooperative Society Limited, and New Market Ima Keithel Multi Vendor Cooperative Society Limited.

“How did the Bank sanction the loans without proper verification of the documents?”, the secretary asked and charged the bank that when the original license holders approached it to procure loans they were denied by telling that they have to come with original documents and signatures.

Lakshmi continued that the cheques of the said loans were distributed at GM Hall, Imphal by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on January 29, 2006.

The personnel of the bank and the Cooperative Societies who misguided the CM should be punished befittingly sooner, she continued.

If the CM remains silent on the matter then it will be brought up at the court and a letter will be sent to Sonia Gandhi, she continued.

The document of the three grants of Rs 1 lakh each i.e a sum of Rs 3 lakhs sanctioned by the bank in connection with the loans was found at first by the Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup when it was carried by a person inside the market complex around five months back, she said.

This is when we suspected of the misdoings as we had not applied for loans, and eventually filed the RTI, she added.

During the press conference, Laishram (o) Kiranmala Devi who is one of the original license holders alleged that her License No. 98 is duplicated in the name and particulars of one Kongbrailakpam (o) Pakpi Devi by replacing her photograph with that of Pakpi to withdraw the loan.

Those involved in doing this fraud should be given befitting punishment, she expressed.

Another original license holder Thoudam Inaocha Devi also alleged that her License No. 850 was duplicated by one RK Bilashini Devi, wife of RK Setusana Singh of Kakwa Makha Nameirakpam Leikai in the same manner.

She appealed to the concerned authority to award punishment under the law to whoever involved in the fraud.

Nandeibam (o) Nupimacha also alleged during the press conference that her License No. 1137 was also duplicated by Khangembam (n) Rani Devi, daughter of Kh Khaka Singh of Kakwa Lilando Lampak.

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