Mamata orders internal audit of cooperative banks in East Midnapore

KOLKATA: Acting on complaints of a huge amount of money being deposited in fake bank accounts, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an internal financial audit of a number of cooperative banks in East Midnapore, including Contai Cooperative Bank whose chairman is the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.

Without naming Adhikari, Banerjee took a swipe at the saffron leader. "Internal audit of Contai Co-Operative Bank has been taken up. Shouldn't we find out whose money is getting deposited in ghost accounts in these banks? We are compelled to conduct a probe when we receive complaints," she said.

"A writ petition was filed soon after it was announced that an internal financial audit of Contai Cooperative Bank will be carried out. Why? What is there to be so afraid of? What is there behind the curtains," Banerjee asked.

The internal audit will also be undertaken for Midnapore Cooperative Bank and Tamluk Cooperative Bank. Besides Contai Cooperative Bank, turncoat Adhikari is chairman of some more cooperative banks in East Midnapore.

Banerjee said: "The internal audit has been taken up as complaints alleging corruption were received. Not only these three cooperative banks (Contai Cooperative Bank, Midnapore Cooperative Bank and Tamluk Cooperative Bank), there are complaints against a few more such banks from the place. There will be a probe against all these cooperative banks as well."

"Most of the accounts are fake. There are many ghost accounts as well," Banerjee said while addressing the media at Nabanna after launching the Student Credit Card scheme.

In March, Banerjee had stated about conducting a detailed probe into the functioning of these banks, mainly the Contai Cooperative Bank as she had been receiving a series of complaints of financial irregularities.

"We have received a complaint alleging Rs 5,000 crore scam of Contai Cooperative Bank. A probe will be undertaken in this regard to unearth the real culprits behind such financial irregularities," Banerjee had said while addressing an election rally of her party at Contai in East Midnapore in March.

She had also taken a dig at Adhikari from the rally saying that he had jumped ship to join BJP ahead of the Assembly election in the state to save his money.